Abortion

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the numbers of (1) aborted male babies, and (2) aborted female babies, in each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.

Earl Howe: This information is not collected centrally.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, over the past five years, (1) how many referrals for abortion have been made by Pregnancy Advice Bureaux, and (2) how many women who have attended a Pregnancy Advice Bureau have chosen not to have a termination of pregnancy.

Earl Howe: The Procedures for the Registration of Pregnancy Advice Bureaux (PABx) set out the administrative requirements for places to be registered as PABx. The procedures request that PABx submit data each year on how many referrals for termination they have made and the number of women whom they are aware of who choose not to have a termination. However, this is not a legally binding requirement and PABx have chosen not to submit these returns for a number of years. Officials will be writing to all bureaux reminding proprietors that returns for 2011 are due by 1 February 2012. The results will be made available in the Library. The department is reviewing the role of PABx and the procedures and what information should be collected in relation to the referral for, and provision of, termination of pregnancy services. These matters are anticipated to be considered in a public consultation next year.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours of specialist training a person must receive to provide counselling under the Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many hours of specialist training a person must receive to provide counselling under the Procedures for the Registration of Pregnancy Advice Bureaux.

Earl Howe: The number of hours of training for which a counsellor working in either a clinic approved to undertake termination of pregnancy or a registered pregnancy advice bureau is not currently prescribed. However, the Procedures for the Approval of Independent Sector Places for the Termination of Pregnancy (a copy of which has been placed in the Library) state that a person trained and experienced in counselling in this field must be available to attend clinics/hospitals if required. All clinics/hospitals must demonstrate that they have effective services providing advice, medical assessment and counselling. All clinics must also comply with the Care Quality Commission guidance Essential Standards of Quality and Safety.
	The Procedures for the Registration of Pregnancy Advice Bureaux also state that women who are considering undergoing a termination of pregnancy should be able to discuss their choices and decisions with a trained counsellor. This document has already been placed in the Library.

Abortion

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many inspection visits were made to approved independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in 2010; and whether they will place in the Library of the House a summary of findings from those inspection visits.

Earl Howe: No inspection visits were made by the department to approved independent sector places for termination of pregnancy in 2010.
	When the Healthcare Commission was established in 2004, it was agreed that responsibilities for inspecting premises would be passed to that body. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is now the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Independent sector providers are required to register with the CQC, in the first instance, before seeking Secretary of State approval to provide abortion services. To do so, they must show that they meet a wide range of essential safety and quality standards set out in guidance provided by the CQC to demonstrate compliance with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and are subject to site visits. Termination of pregnancies falls within the regulated activities (Section 22) set out in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2009. The CQC inspection reports for individual independent sector places can be found on its website at: www.cqc.org.uk/public.

Armed Forces: Aircraft

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Astor of Hever on 18 July (WA 226) and 11 August (WA 456), how many Royal Navy aircrew will be on the first conversion course in February.

Lord Astor of Hever: There will be 12 Royal Navy personnel comprising three air crews on the conversion course from the Sea King Mk 4 to the Merlin Mk 3, currently scheduled to commence at the end of March 2012.

Armenia

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 7 December (WA 157), whether they expect the level of support for projects in Armenia to increase or decrease in 2012; and whether they plan to encourage further applications.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Promoting normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey remains a priority for the Government. The allocation of bilateral programme funds to our embassy in Yerevan is therefore likely to remain broadly the same in financial year 2012-13 as in the current financial year.
	Also relevant to the Government's objectives for the region is project work funded through the Conflict Pool (a programme fund administered jointly by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development with the aim of preventing and managing conflicts). A key objective for the programme this year is to "strengthen the groundwork for a resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through close engagement with civil society in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh". In the current financial year, £1.06 million has been allocated to this objective. Again, this is likely to stay broadly the same next financial year as this remains a priority for the Government.
	Organisations will be invited to submit bids for bilateral programme and Conflict Pool funding for financial year 2012-13 in February-March 2012.
	Subject to the bids received and other priorities, we would expect support for projects for work on Armenia-Turkey relations to be similar to previous years.

Asylum Seekers

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Browning on 7 June (WA 88), for what reasons they accept that the findings of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of MSS v Belgium and Greece prevent the return of asylum seekers to Greece by the United Kingdom; and how many asylum seeker cases or returns to Greece are currently suspended awaiting improved conditions in that country and court outcomes.

Lord Henley: In MSS v Belgium and Greece, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights considered the evidence relating to the asylum system in Greece and concluded that any asylum seeker transferred there faced a real risk of treatment contrary to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which prohibits torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
	It would be a breach of both domestic legislation (Section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998) and our international obligations under the ECHR to remove someone to a country where he or she would face a real risk of a breach of his or her rights under Article 3 of the convention. It therefore follows that, while the Greek asylum system remains as described in MSS, transfers to that country will be unlawful.
	The UK stopped transferring asylum seekers to Greece on 20 September 2010 following the referral of the case of NS and Others v Secretary of State for the Home Department to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Between then and 30 November 2011, the UK Border Agency has received 361 asylum applications that would ordinarily have been the responsibility of that country.
	We have not suspended consideration of these cases but have instead considered them in our own asylum system, granting protection to those who qualify for it and seeking to remove to their country of origin those who do not. This saves the taxpayer the cost of keeping these applicants on asylum support for an indefinite period until they can be lawfully transferred to Greece.

Autumn Statement

Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have spent to date on the extension of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme to help new start-up businesses with investment, as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement.

Lord Sassoon: The new Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme will commence in April 2012.

Autumn Statement

Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they estimate will be raised by the freeze on the capital gains tax threshold for next year, as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement.

Lord Sassoon: Estimates of how much will be raised by the freeze on the capital gains tax threshold can be found in the Autumn Statement 2011, page 46, table 2.1: measure 10.
	They are as follows:
	
		
			  2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 
			 £m 0 0 25 25 25 30

Bahrain

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Bahrain regarding the recent death of Ali al-Sheikh, and the alleged use of teargas and physical assault on Zainab al-Khawaja.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government regularly raise all human rights issues with the Bahraini authorities. Regarding the death of Ali al-Sheikh, we offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends. The Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), met His Majesty King Hamad on 12 December and urged him to implement all recommendations of the recent independent inquiry report. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North-East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), visited Bahrain on 13 and 14 December and was also able to discuss our concerns with the Bahrainis.

Bangladesh

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any assistance is being offered or provided to United Kingdom-based companies engaged in or planning opencast coal mining in Bangladesh.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Government provide assistance and support to UK-based companies through UK Trade & Investment's dedicated trade and investment team based at the British high commission in Dhaka. UKTI is not presently providing any active assistance to United Kingdom-based companies engaged in or planning opencast coal mining in Bangladesh.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they propose to review the limits currently placed on the rehypothecation of client securities by custodian banks and fund managers.

Lord Sassoon: Rehypothecation of client securities is an issue which is linked to regulatory reform efforts taking place across the European Union. The Government will consider this issue in the round as these efforts progress.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria will be used in determining whether the non-United Kingdom operations of a United Kingdom-headquartered bank will be judged not to pose a threat to United Kingdom taxpayers and whether the countries in which such subsidiaries and branches operate will have to confirm to the Government that they would not look to the United Kingdom for support in the event of distress; and whether they are willing to make similar undertakings in respect of foreign banks operating in the United Kingdom through subsidiaries.

Lord Sassoon: As stated in the government response to the Independent Commission on Banking, the Government's view is that UK-headquartered global systemically important banks should have to meet minimum primary loss-absorbing capital requirements across their global operations, as well as in the UK, except where it can be shown that any non-UK operations do not pose a risk to UK financial stability and thus to the UK taxpayer. In this case, the loss-absorbing capacity of those foreign operations need not exceed any international or local standards. This would be evidenced by, for example, a robust, credible plan for the resolution of foreign operations separately from the resolution of UK operations. The Government intend to set out further details on this in their White Paper.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will investigate why the return of funds to clients of MF Global UK is taking longer than the same process in the United States; and whether they will review the working of the special administration regime in the light of this experience.

Lord Sassoon: The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is working closely with KPMG, the special administrators of MF Global UK, to ensure the return of client assets as soon as practicable and to monitor progress. The Government maintain a regular dialogue with the FSA on these matters.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Bank of England to match the European Central Bank in making three-year repurchase agreements available to United Kingdom banks.

Lord Sassoon: The Bank of England is responsible for operations in the sterling money markets. These are designed to implement the Monetary Policy Committee's decisions in order to meet the inflation target and to reduce the cost of disruption to the liquidity and payment services supplied by banks to the UK economy.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether banking activity displaced by the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking will shift to the unregulated shadow credit sector.

Lord Sassoon: The Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) factored the possibility for arbitrage into its analysis in calibrating its recommendations on ring-fencing as well as loss absorbency. There is no activity currently carried out by banks that the ICB recommendations will prevent from taking place. It is for banks themselves to decide where they should place their permitted businesses with respect to the ring-fence.
	The Government agree with the ICB's reasoning that large non-ring-fenced banks should not be required to have equity requirements in addition to any globally systemically important bank surcharge, as this risks activities shifting from the regulated UK market to the shadow banking sector.

Banking

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure senior banking positions in organisations with trades in the United Kingdom are not filled by anyone associated with terrorism.

Lord Sassoon: This is a matter for the Financial Services Authority (FSA), whose day-to-day operations are independent from government control and influence. This question has been passed on to the FSA, which will reply to you directly by letter. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority have established that Banco Santander SA stands fully behind the group's United Kingdom banking and insurance subsidiaries.

Lord Sassoon: Santander UK plc is a subsidiary of Banco Santander SA, which is based in Spain and regulated by the Banco de España. Banco Santander SA's stated strategy is that subsidiaries operate on a financially autonomous basis from the parent company. Santander UK is a UK-regulated entity and must comply with Financial Services Authority rules, including on its capital and liquidity.

Banking

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will ensure that banks based in the United Kingdom do not become over-extended in terms of capital or liquidity in support of wholly- or majority-owned subsidiaries incorporated outside the United Kingdom.

Lord Sassoon: The Financial Services Authority assesses UK banks' capital and liquidity requirements at the level of every legal entity within the banking group. UK banks are also subject to intra-group large exposure limits. These measures limit the ability of UK banking entities to become over-extended to other entities within the group, including those located overseas. The recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking will also help to prevent UK banks from becoming over-extended to foreign subsidiaries by further constraining intra-group exposures.

Benefits

Lord Morris of Manchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answers by Lord Freud on 12 December (Official Report, cols. 995-98), what is their estimate of the number of people entitled to disability benefits who did not apply for them in each of the past three years for which figures are available; and at what saving to public funds.

Lord Freud: Estimates of the rate of take-up are available only for income-related benefits, therefore estimates of the amount of unclaimed disability benefits-for example, disability living allowance, attendance allowance and contributory employment and support allowance-are not available.
	Estimates are made for combined income support and income-related employment and support allowance (ESA). Small sample sizes do not allow for the production of both benefits separately. It should be noted that recipients of income support and income-related ESA fall into both the disabled and non-disabled populations.
	The latest figures available for combined income support and income-related ESA take-up cover the 2008-09 financial year. They show that in 2008-09 between 78 and 80 per cent of the entitled population take up either income support or income-related ESA, representing a population of between 250,000 and 600,000 who are entitled to one or other of the benefits but do not take it up. It is not possible to infer why the entitled non-recipients do not claim what they are entitled to.
	This represents between £590 million and £1.6 billion pounds in unclaimed benefits in 2008-09.
	
		
			 Table 1: Caseload take-up of Income Support and Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance 
			  Year All Families 
			   (Thousands) 
			 Number of Recipients 2006-07 2,090 
			  2007-08 2,080 
			  2008-09 2,170 
			 Range of Entitled Non-Recipients 2006-07 230:500 
			  2007-08 280:600 
			  2008-09 250:600 
			   (Percentages) 
			 Take-up Ranges 2006-07 81:90 
			  2007-08 78:88 
			  2008-09 78:90 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Expenditure take-up of Income Support and Income-Related Employment and Support Allowance 
			  Year All Families 
			   (Millions of Pounds) 
			 Total Amount Claimed 2006-07 9,060 
			  2007-08 8,930 
			  2008-09 8,690 
			 Total Range Unclaimed 2006-07 500:1,290 
			  2007-08 630:1,550 
			  2008-09 590:1,630 
			   (Percentages) 
			 Take-up Ranges 2006-07 88:95 
			  2007-08 85:93 
			  2008-09 84:94 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are presented as ranges to reflect the uncertainty caused by both sampling and non-sampling error.
	2. Amounts claimed and unclaimed are rounded to the nearest £10 million.
	3. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000.
	4. Take-up percentages are rounded to the nearest percentage point.
	5. Totals may not equal the sum of their parts due to rounding.
	6. Full-time self-employed cases are excluded from all results.
	7. Those not living in private households are excluded from all results.
	The full publication covering the 2008-09 financial year can be found at the link: http://research.dwp.gov. uk/asd/index.php?paqe=irb.

Benefits

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 13 December (WA 231-2), what assessment they have made of the compatibility with their policy of making work pay of the decision to increase welfare benefits by 5.2 per cent at a time when wages and salaries are increasing by 2.3 per cent.

Lord Freud: Benefits linked to the labour market are set at levels designed to reward moving into work, and are intended to meet basic costs of living only. The increase in the cost of living faced by those receiving benefits is likely to be higher than for other groups, as those on the lowest incomes spend a greater proportion of their incomes on food, fuel and energy, the prices of which are rising particularly rapidly.
	The Government have taken a number of steps to control welfare expenditure, such as introducing a cap on overall household benefits so that working-age households on out-of-work benefits can no longer receive more in benefits that the average weekly wage for working households. Those in work on low incomes may be eligible for in-work support via tax credits, housing benefit, council tax benefit and help with NHS costs, and the combined total of tax credits and other income should mean people will have a higher income in work than on out-of-work benefits.
	Universal credit, which will be introduced from October 2013, will provide a new single system of means-tested support for working-age people who are in or out of work and is intended to top up earnings in a way that will make sure that there is a clear financial gain from working.

Benefits

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pensioners have been in receipt of attendance allowance in (1) London, and (2) the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, in each year since 2001, broken down between (a) higher rate and (b) lower rate.

Lord Freud: The information requested is contained in the following tables.
	
		
			 Number of Attendance Allowance recipients by award type in London region: Time series 
			 Month Total Higher Rate Lower Rate Nil Rate 
			 May-11 140,060 78,600 61,460 - 
			 May-10 139,260 76,680 62,580 - 
			 May-09 135,830 73,710 62,120 - 
			 May-08 132,130 70,460 61,660 - 
			 May-07 128,880 67,350 61,530 - 
			 May-06 126,380 64,960 61,420 - 
			 May-05 123,070 63,130 59,930 - 
			 May-04 120,270 61,020 59,250 - 
			 May-03 115,260 57,420 57,840 - 
			 May-02 113,250 54,730 58,520 - 
			 May-01 112,800 52,100 60,600 - 
		
	
	
		
			 Number of Attendance Allowance recipients by award type in Tower Hamlets local authority: Time series 
			 Month Total Higher Rate Lower Rate Nil Rate 
			 May-11 3,470 1,950 1,520 - 
			 May-10 3,410 1,900 1,500 - 
			 May-09 3,320 1,820 1,490 - 
			 May-08 3,340 1,810 1,530 - 
			 May-07 3,310 1,790 1,520 - 
			 May-06 3,350 1,770 1,580 - 
			 May-05 3,330 1,720 1,610 - 
			 May-04 3,430 1,760 1,660 - 
			 May-03 3,320 1,620 1,700 - 
			 May-02 3,270 1,500 1,770 - 
			 May-01 3,300 1,500 1,900 - 
		
	
	Source: Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 100 per cent WPLS. DWP Information Directorate: Sample data (5 per cent).
	Notes:
	1. Figures for May 2001are taken from 5 per cent sample data. They have been uprated to be consistent with WPLS data and are rounded to the nearest 100. Figures from May 2002 onwards are taken from WPLS 100 per cent data and are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	2. " -" denotes nil or negligible.
	3. Figures show the number of people in receipt of an allowance and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.
	4. These data are available on the department's tabulation tool at http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html

Benefits

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the uptake of Attendance Allowance; and what steps they are taking to raise awareness of the benefit among pensioners.

Lord Freud: Estimates of the take-up rate are not available for attendance allowance. The department goes to considerable lengths to publicise benefits. Information leaflets are widely available from the department's offices, and from citizens advice bureaux and other advice agencies. In addition, information and advice about disability benefits is provided by the Benefit Enquiry Line. For people with internet access, information about all benefits and how these may be claimed is available on the DWP website and direct.gov.uk
	Through increasing outreach activity we are developing closer working relationships with a range of partners such as local authority social services and welfare rights organisations who are able to advise people about disability benefits in a far more targeted and personal way than would be possible through any mass disability awareness campaigns.

Benefits

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have received the Winter Heating Allowance in each year since its introduction, broken down between those aged 60-80 years old and those aged over 80.

Lord Freud: The table below shows the number of winter fuel payment recipients in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets since 1999-2000. We are unable to provide the number of recipients broken down by age prior to 2002-03.
	
		
			 Year All aged 60 to 79 All aged 80-plus All aged 60-plus 
			 1999-2000 N/A N/A 22,530 
			 2000-01 N/A N/A 23,110 
			 2001-02 N/A N/A 22,660 
			 2002-03 18,500 3,770 22,270 
			 2003-04 17,930 3,810 21,740 
			 2004-05 17,240 3,770 21,010 
			 2005-06 16,810 3,870 20,680 
			 2006-07 16,520 3,870 20,390 
			 2007-08 16,370 3,930 20,300 
			 2008-09 16,220 4,000 20,220 
			 2009-10 16,070 4,070 20,140 
			 2010-11* 15,850 4,220 20,070 
		
	
	Source: Information Directorate, Department for Work and Pensions.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 individuals.
	2. High-level summary statistics are available for the earlier years of the benefit, but reliable breakdowns by age and geographical area are available from 1999-2000 only.
	3. Local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	4. The latest figures for Winter Fuel Payments are published at http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=wfp
	5. * From April 2010 the qualification age for the Winter Fuel Payment started increasing in line with state pension age for women.
	6. The additional payment for those aged 80 or over was introduced in 2002-2003.

Benefits

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the total value of winter heating allowance payments made in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in each year since its introduction.

Lord Freud: The table below shows the total winter fuel payment expenditure in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets since 1999-2000.
	
		
			 Year Winter Fuel Payment expenditure in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (£million) 
			 1999-2000 3.9 
			 2000-01 4.2 
			 2001-02 3.9 
			 2002-03 3.9 
			 2003-04 4.1 
			 2004-05 5.2 
			 2005-06 5.7 
			 2006-07 4.1 
			 2007-08 4.1 
			 2008-09 5.2 
			 2009-10 5.1 
			 2010-11 4.9 
		
	
	Source: DWP Statistical and Accounting Data.
	The figures are expressed in millions of pounds, cash terms, and are rounded to the nearest £100,000.
	Notes:
	1. The figures are taken from the Department for Work and Pensions Benefit Expenditure Tables published on the internet at: http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/la_expenditure.xls
	2. High-level summary statistics for expenditure are available for the earlier years of the benefit, but reliable breakdowns by geographical area are available from 1999-2000 only.

Benefits

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many pensioner households in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets have been in receipt of (1) the Guarantee Credit, and (2) the Savings Credit of Pension Credit, in each year since its introduction.

Lord Freud: The information requested is in the table below:
	
		
			 Number of people in receipt of Pension Credit in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets 
			 Year Guarantee Credit Savings Credit Both Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit Total in receipt 
			 Nov-03 7,150 330 3,010 10,490 
			 May-04 7,150 760 3,190 11,100 
			 May-05 7,260 940 3,180 11,380 
			 May-06 7,240 900 3,100 11,230 
			 May-07 7,290 870 2,950 11,120 
			 May-08 7,470 840 2,680 10,990 
			 May-09 7,550 870 2,540 10,960 
			 May-10 7,600 830 2,470 10,910 
			 May-11 7,450 830 2,370 10,650 
		
	
	Source: DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data.
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Pension Credit was introduced on 6 October 2003.
	3. Pension Credit household recipients are those people who claim Pension Credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner.
	4. These data are available on the department's tabulation tool at http://83.244.183.180/100pc/tabtool.html and https://www. nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp

Benefits

Baroness King of Bow: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate the Department of Energy and Climate Change has made of the number of pensioner households in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets who will be eligible under the Warm Homes Discount scheme; and what proportion of pensioners in the Borough that represents.

Lord Marland: Eligibility for the warm home core group discount is linked to the type of benefits received. This winter, older people will be eligible for a discount of £120 off their electricity bill if they were, on the qualifying date of 11 September 2011:
	in receipt of the guarantee credit element of pension credit only; named on their electricity bill; andreceiving their electricity from a supplier participating in the scheme.
	7,450 pensioners were in receipt of pension credit guarantee credit only in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in May 2011. We estimate that this is around 40 per cent of the pensioners in the borough.
	In addition to the core group, pensioner households may also benefit from assistance with their energy bills through the broader group and legacy spending elements of the warm home discount scheme.

British Embassies

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what qualifies a state or other territory to receive a British ambassador.

Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North-West Norfolk (Mr Bellingham), on 9 September 2011 (Official Report, House of Commons, col. 874W) which sets out what qualifies a state to receive a British ambassador.

Broadcasting: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of maintaining the transmitter for Teilifis na Gaeilge in Northern Ireland each year since installation; and what steps they have taken to support Ulster Scots culture in view of the promise of equality made in the Belfast Agreement of 1998.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Government have not incurred any maintenance costs associated with the transmission of Teilifis na Gaeilge.
	Responsibility for support for Ulster Scots language and culture is, in the main, devolved. The UK Government retain responsibility for broadcasting, and to that end will provide £1 million per year from 2011 to 2015 for the operation of an Ulster Scots Broadcast Fund.

Commonwealth

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be their chief priorities as they develop their policies towards the Commonwealth.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government have upgraded the UK's relationship with the Commonwealth and its networks and we continue to work with partners to strengthen the organisation as a focus for promoting democratic values, development and prosperity for all members. We were pleased that Commonwealth Heads of Government in October adopted a series of reforms, including reform of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, to ensure the organisation can better protect its core democratic values and retain credibility. The Commonwealth modernisation agenda will remain our top priority for 2012. A number of other recommendations put forward by the Eminent Persons Group to make the Commonwealth more effective will be discussed during the course of 2012 and concluded when Foreign Ministers meet in September. We hope this will culminate in the adoption of a Charter for the Commonwealth, which will raise the profile of the Commonwealth. We plan to support and strengthen business engagement and prosperity within the Commonwealth through the Commonwealth Business Council, and examine how non-Commonwealth countries can interact with the organisation through this and the Commonwealth's other diverse networks and organisations. In the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year, we will also be supporting Commonwealth events to mark Her Majesty's 60 years as head of the Commonwealth, including the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Trust, which will sponsor projects across the Commonwealth.

Constitutional Change

Lord Norton of Louth: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many officials in the Cabinet Office are tasked with assisting the Deputy Prime Minister in dealing with issues of constitutional change.

Lord McNally: As at 30 November 2011, 72 staff were working in the Constitution Group.

Credit Default Swaps

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 14 December (WA 266), whether they have reviewed whether the treatment of credit default swaps as insurance contracts would contribute to strengthening financial stability and reducing moral hazard; and, if so, what conclusions they have reached.

Lord Sassoon: I refer to my Written Answer on 14 December (WA 266).

Crime: Electronic Tagging

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the results of any inquiry initiated into the conduct of the trial of Mr Asil Nadir in 1993.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: While there are current legal proceedings it would be inappropriate for me to comment.

Crime: Motoring Convictions

Lord Fearn: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was received from speeding fines by police authorities in (1) Lancashire, and (2) Merseyside, for 2008, 2009 and 2010.

Lord Henley: The latest relevant information relating to the number of substantive (paid) fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for speeding offences issued by officers from Lancashire and Merseyside constabularies in 2008 and 2009 is provided in the table. Fixed penalty notices for speeding issued by the police attract a penalty of £60.
	The data provided cover FPNs initially paid (ie without referral to the courts for non-payment). Both fixed penalty income and the income from fines imposed by the courts go to the Consolidated Fund for general government expenditure.
	Data for 2010 are scheduled to be published in April 2012.
	
		
			 Substantive fixed penalty notices issued for speeding offences in Lancashire and Merseyside police force areas, 2008 and 2009 
			 Police force area 2008 2009 
			 Lancashire 41,678 34,710 
			 Merseyside 34,894 34,983

Crime: Rioting

Baroness Sherlock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 8 December (WA 198), whether police authorities have provided them with information about the number of payments they have made to claimants under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 following the riots in August; and, if so, on what date each police authority last provided that information; and what that information was.

Lord Henley: There is no requirement for police authorities to provide information on riot damages claims to the Home Office. Whilst some police authorities have provided information on payments they have made, this is not the case for all; this information is not routinely collected.

Criminal Justice System

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the principle that a convicted criminal should not benefit financially from his or her crime or crimes.

Lord Henley: We strongly support the principle that no convicted criminal should benefit from their crime. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation can be applied to anyone convicted of any criminal offence, regardless of the nature of the offence and the amount of the benefit.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to make representations to their United Nations counterparts in order to press for the deployment of units of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to support the work of the mining police around key mine sites of the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo that have recently been demilitarised.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) has a role in helping the Congolese authorities prevent armed groups from profiting from the country's natural resources. The UK supported the inclusion of this in MONUSCO's mandate. As part of this work, MONUSCO is supporting the Congolese mining police and contributing to the security of mining areas in the three eastern provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Orientale, North Kivu and South Kivu). We will lobby to ensure this work continues.

Discrimination

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government how advice on discrimination cases currently provided by Citizens Advice Bureaux law centres and other voluntary organisations will be funded when the Government cease to fund the Equality and Human Rights Commission's grant funding programme.

Lord Henley: Citizens Advice Bureaux, law centres and other voluntary organisations that give advice to the public receive their funding from a range of sources. Government funding is available for legal advice on discrimination cases through the civil legal aid scheme for England and Wales and through the separate legal aid system in Scotland. This will continue to be the case when planned reforms to the system for England and Wales are implemented, which is intended to be in April 2013. The Government will also be funding advice on discrimination cases through the new Equality Advisory and Support Service it is commissioning.

Economy: Manufacturing

The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that United Kingdom-based manufacturers are given fair access to business opportunities.

Baroness Wilcox: I will write to the right reverend Prelate and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Education: National Curriculum

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the decision was taken to postpone the curriculum review for a year, and whether new terms of reference have been prepared for the next stage of the review.

Lord Hill of Oareford: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State has been considering the evidence gathered by the national curriculum review and next steps, including the implications for the overall timetable, over recent weeks. His decision to postpone the implementation of phase 1 of the review was announced in a Written Ministerial Statement issued on 19 December (Official Report, cols. 138 WS to 140 WS). This will allow further time for consideration and debate of the important issues that have arisen to date.
	An updated remit for the review will be published shortly and a copy placed in the Library of the House.

Education: English Baccalaureate

Lord Luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in the light of the recent recommendations from the Confederation of British Industry, the Incorporated Society of Musicians and the House of Commons Education Committee, they will amend the current formulation of the English Baccalaureate to include music.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The Government are committed to the provision of high quality music education and believe that every child should have opportunities to learn to play a musical instrument and to sing. We recognise the potential of good quality music education to improve behaviour, attention and concentration, and its positive effect on the development of numeracy and language skills. The Importance of Music-a National Plan for Music Education was published in November; the plan sets out how children of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can receive the best possible music education in the future.
	The English Baccalaureate was introduced to address concerns that the number of pupils who currently receive an education in a core set of academic subjects is far too small and has been in sharp decline. We encourage all pupils to study non-English Baccalaureate subjects as well as those within the core in order to benefit from a well rounded education. The range of subjects within the Baccalaureate is small enough to allow for that. Schools are in the best position to work with pupils to make choices that will allow them to achieve and progress, recognising the importance and value of achieving in these core areas, and also of study in other areas where they have an aptitude and interest. In December 2010, we set out the subjects which will count towards the English Baccalaureate measure and have no current plans to change its composition.
	We will continue to monitor the impact of the English Baccalaureate on GCSE subject choices, including through review of GCSE entries in 2012.

Egypt

Lord Janner of Braunstone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the recent parliamentary election in Egypt.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Egypt's elections for the Lower House of Parliament will not be completed until 11 January, and Upper House elections until 12 March. As the process has yet to conclude it is not possible to make a full assessment at this stage, but we welcome indications so far that turnout has been high and largely peaceful. Civil society organisations observing the elections have highlighted some areas in the process which will require attention as the elections move into the next phase.
	However, we are deeply concerned by recent events, including the violent tactics of the security forces and violent actions of some of the protestors, which are inconsistent with the democratic process in which Egypt is now engaged.

Elections: Commonwealth Citizens

Lord Ashcroft: To ask Her Majesty's Government which Commonwealth countries' citizens need leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom for the purpose of registering to vote as a "qualifying Commonwealth citizen".

Lord Henley: Although the question tabled does not fall within the remit of the UK Border Agency, the answer to this question is available on the Electoral Commission's website at: www.electoralcommission.org.uk. Any enquiries relating to the information provided below should be directed to the Electoral Commission.
	Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are Commonwealth citizens resident in the UK, who are entitled to register to vote provided that they also fulfil the age requirement for registration and are not subject to any other legal incapacity. Citizens of the following countries meet the nationality criteria to register in respect of all elections:
	
		
			 Antigua and Barbuda 
			 Australia 
			 The Bahamas 
			 Bangladesh 
			 Barbados 
			 Belize 
			 Botswana 
			 Brunei Darussalam 
			 Cameroon 
			 Canada 
			 Cyprus* 
			 Dominica 
			 Fiji Islands 
			 The Gambia 
			 Ghana 
			 Grenada 
			 Guyana 
			 India 
			 Jamaica 
			 Kenya 
			 Kiribati 
			 Lesotho 
			 Malawi 
			 Malaysia 
			 Maldives 
			 Malta* 
			 Mauritius 
			 Mozambique 
			 Namibia 
			 Nauru 
			 New Zealand 
			 Nigeria 
			 Pakistan 
			 Papua New Guinea 
			 Rwanda 
			 St Kitts and Nevis 
			 St Lucia 
			 St Vincent and the Grenadines 
			 Samoa 
			 Seychelles 
			 Sierra Leone 
			 Singapore 
			 Solomon Islands 
			 South Africa 
			 Sri Lanka 
			 Swaziland 
			 Tonga 
			 Trinidad and Tobago 
			 Tuvalu 
			 Uganda 
			 United Kingdom 
			 United Republic of Tanzania 
			 Vanuatu 
			 Zambia 
			 Zimbabwe 
		
	
	* Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in respect of all elections held in the UK.
	Note: Citizens of the above countries retain their voting rights even if their country is suspended or expelled from the Commonwealth organisation.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 12 December (WA 209), what further information would be required by either the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) or Centre 0102 in order that respective records could then be appropriately checked; whether this specific information was ever held by the HFEA or Centre 0102, or if it was originally held but subsequently lost; and why such information is not retained.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that for a centre to retrieve the relevant records it would need the patient's or the donor's details. The personal details in the case to which the noble Lord refers would have been available on the day of inspection five years ago. Patient or donor identifying material is not retained any longer than necessary, in line with good practice on data protection.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 14 December (WA 267), whether donors from overseas whose gametes might be passed on to Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) licensed centres must also provide the same personal identifying information as those registering at HFEA licensed centres; what were the HFEA licensed centres or other sources from which donor gametes had been obtained for use by centre 0102 at the time of the HFEA inspection on 2 May 2006; and whether the unannounced inspection of centre 0102 by the HFEA in February 2006 examined concerns about proper consenting procedures.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that in accordance with its General Directions 0005, all overseas donors used in treatment at HFEA licensed centres should be registered with the authority by the importing clinic and, therefore, provide personal identifying information. This can be found on the authority's website at: www.hfea.gov.uk/188.html.
	HFEA licensed centres can recruit gamete donors themselves or source-donated gametes from overseas and other HFEA licensed centres in the United Kingdom. At the time of inspection on 2 May 2006, centre 0102 had obtained donor gametes via these routes.
	The HFEA has also advised that the unannounced inspection carried out on 6 February 2006 of centre 0102 addressed issues relating to: workload, staffing levels and training; witnessing; intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection practices and cryopreserved material.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 12 December (WA 208-9) why at least 681 human eggs were used under research licence R0122 between August 2004 and March 2005 according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) chief executive, given that the progress report received by the HFEA in April 2004 indicates that the expected numbers of eggs to be used over that year would be 100; and whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the progress reports for research licence R0122 submitted to the HFEA by Centre 0017 in 2005, in which the numbers of eggs used were described.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that the progress report that the noble Lord refers to gave an expected number of eggs to be used in the research project, which was an estimate. As the research progressed, more eggs were used.
	The HFEA has also advised that a search of records held by the authority has not identified a progress report submitted by centre 0017 in 2005 for research project R0122.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 3 October (WA 105-6) and 12 December (WA 208-9), when the initial and revised copies of patient information and consent forms for research licence R0122 were submitted to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; and in what way these documents inform patients regarding any use of their oocytes in that project.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that a search of the authority's records has identified patient information and consent forms, relating to research project R0122, submitted to the HFEA during 2000 and 2002. These documents refer only to the use of embryos in research.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 18 June 2007 (WA 8-9), why research licence R0153 was granted by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in order to apply nuclear transfer techniques in human reproduction when the person responsible for this licence had stated in the progress report for research licence R0122 (received by the HFEA in April 2004) that "Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is a feasible option for detection of mitochondrial DNA mutations" where the extent to which these occur in oocytes and offspring from the same mother may vary considerably.

Earl Howe: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that whether proposed research satisfies the statutory requirements in order to be granted a HFEA research licence is a matter for the authority's research licence committee to determine.
	As I advised the noble Lord in my Written Answer of 7 February 2011 (Official Report, col. WA14), the HFEA has stated that it will not comment on licensing decisions made by its licence committees.

Embryology

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 12 December (WA 209), whether the testing to detect chromosomal alterations during culture referred to in that answer is as comprehensive and robust as that described by a recent paper in Nature Biotechnology (2011) Volume 29, pp 1132-44; whether the commercially confidential details of these tests are the subject of any patents currently recognised within Europe; and whether the results of the most recent tests for chromosomal alterations will be made available on request to participants in the clinical trial at Moorfields Eye Hospital as part of the process of ensuring informed consent.

Earl Howe: The department does not hold this information centrally. Details of the derivation of the stem cells and the experimental procedures used in any clinical trial are matters for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Gene Therapy Advisory Committee.

Emergency Rescue Services

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to ensure that those providing voluntary emergency rescue services by lifeboat or air ambulance are given equal fiscal treatment.

Lord Sassoon: I have taken equal fiscal treatment as a reference to the difference in the VAT treatment between lifeboat and air ambulance rescue services. I refer the noble Baroness to the Written Answer given on 16 June 2011 (Official Report, col. WA202).

Energy: Fracking

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will introduce a moratorium on onshore and offshore exploration, development and production of shale gas at sites using hydraulic fracturing processes.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between recent earthquakes in Lancashire and hydraulic fracturing.

Lord Marland: The Government have no plans to introduce a moratorium on shale gas activities in the UK.
	Following the seismic tremors experienced in Poulton-le-Fylde in Lancashire in April and May last year, DECC asked the operator Cuadrilla to carry out a geomechanical study to look specifically at the geological and seismic properties of the rock strata and shale in and around Poulton-le-Fylde, and any linkages between the seismic tremors and hydraulic fracturing operations in the area. The study, which confirms a connection between the hydraulic fracturing at the Preese Hall-1 well and the seismic activity which took place on 1 April and 27 May 2011, was submitted to DECC, and published by the company, on 2 November 2011.
	No decision on the resumption of these hydraulic fracture operations will be made until the implications of this report, and of any further analysis which may prove necessary, has been fully considered, and appropriate practical measures have been approved by Ministers to minimise the risk of such events occurring again. Other key regulators will be consulted before any such decision is taken.

Energy: Fracking

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will list the names, organisations, dates, nature and purpose of meetings held by officials and ministers to discuss hydraulic fracturing in Lancashire.

Lord Marland: My honourable friend the Minister of State for Energy met Cuadrilla during a site visit on 11 March 2011, during which the company updated him on its shale gas exploration and development proposals in Lancashire. Since 2010, DECC officials have met Cuadrilla on the following dates:
	2010-22 April, 6 May, 15 November, 17 December; and2011-17 January, 4 April, 6 April, 20 June, 28 June, 6 September, 27 September, 11 October, 13 October, 28 November, 16 December.
	DECC officials hold regular liaison meetings with other key regulators, including the Health and Safety Executive and respective environmental agencies, on shale gas exploration and development. Shale gas activities in Lancashire have been discussed within this context and these meetings took place during 2011 on the following dates: 11 February, 24 February, 4 March, 18 March, 4 May, 8 June, 29 June, 1 August, 20 September, 11 November, 12 December.
	In addition, DECC officials met officers from Lancashire County Council on 25 November 2011 to discuss shale gas activity in Lancashire, and with the Planning Officers Society on 14 September 2011.

Energy: Fracking

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultations they have had with businesses and residents about the impact of hydraulic fracturing in Lancashire.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the views of local councils affected by hydraulic fracturing in particular in Lancashire; which councils supported the process; which councils approved the process; and whether they will publish any correspondence with local councils on this issue.

Lord Marland: DECC has not conducted specific consultations regarding hydraulic fracturing in Lancashire, but has responded to inquiries from individuals in Lancashire and has met officials from Lancashire County Council.
	With regard to correspondence, along with other key regulators, DECC responded last year to a questionnaire from Fylde Borough Council relating to shale gas exploration and hydraulic fracturing. A copy of DECC's response has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Energy: Fuel Poverty

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the devolved Administrations on the subject of fuel poverty and the prices charged by the energy companies to consumers.

Lord Marland: Ministerial colleagues, officials and I meet regularly with the devolved Administrations to discuss a range of issues including fuel poverty and energy prices.

Energy: Prices

Lord Vinson: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take steps to relieve any regressive impacts of their levy-funded energy and environmental policies under the European Union renewables target by ensuring that VAT is not charged on the portion of energy bills that arise from those levies.

Lord Sassoon: The obligation to finance levy-funded energy and environmental policies is placed on the energy companies and it is then a cost-component of the price of electricity or gas charged to the customer. As such, the whole price is subject to VAT at either 5 per cent or 20 per cent, depending on the status of the customer.
	Under long-standing formal agreements with our EU partners, it is not possible to relieve from VAT either the whole electricity or gas bill, or a component part of it. The UK has applied the reduced rate of 5 per cent as widely as these agreements permit.
	The Government are committed to helping people, especially low-income vulnerable households, to heat their homes more affordably. This winter we are working with energy suppliers to deliver the Warm Home Discount scheme. We are also providing heating and insulation measures through the Warm Front and developing our proposals for the green deal and the energy company obligation.
	To help ensure that policies achieve their objectives cost effectively and affordably, the Government introduced a framework to control levy-funded spending by the Department for Energy and Climate Change at Budget 2011. This framework, covering feed-in tariffs, the renewables obligation and the Warm Home Discount, forms part of the Government's public spending framework.

Energy: Smart Meters

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government by what means the procurement process for smart meters and their technologies will ensure universal coverage of all households, especially those in remote and rural areas.

Lord Marland: The purpose of the procurement processes for the data and communication services is to evaluate the technical capability and value for money of proposed solutions. For communication services this will include assessing the proposed coverage, efficacy and viability of different technologies across Great Britain, including any particular challenges posed by remote and rural areas.

Energy: Smart Meters

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that their planned smart meter procurement will include sufficient flexibility to allow the development of a smart grid.

Lord Marland: Our recent consultation on the Data and Communications Company sought views on, and evidence of the benefits of, the functionality that will facilitate the development of a smart grid. We are currently analysing responses to this consultation. We are also conducting procurements for the provision of data and communications services, which will enable us to explore the cost of different levels of functionality and capacity for both smart metering and smart grids requirements.

Energy: Smart Meters

Lord Teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their timetable for developing and carrying out the consumer engagement strategy under the smart metering implementation programme.

Lord Marland: We will consult on the consumer engagement strategy for smart metering in spring 2012, with decisions following later during 2012. Implementation of the strategy will begin during 2012, but full implementation is expected to take effect in the run up to mass rollout and continue throughout the period up to and including 2019.

EU: Finance

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what role, if any, the European Parliament has in fixing the amount of the United Kingdom's rebate.

Lord Sassoon: The European Parliament has a consultative role in the legislative procedure but the own resources decision, which includes the detail of the UK abatement, is ultimately for the Council of Ministers, subject to unanimity.

EU: Finance Regulation

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government which of the European Commission's 48 proposals and draft proposals for reform of financial regulation and financial services would be decided under (1) qualified majority voting, and (2) unanimity.

Lord Sassoon: All EU financial regulation is decided by qualified majority voting in the council. However, under Article 113 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, measures to harmonise tax legislation, such as the proposed financial transaction tax, must be decided by unanimity.

Euro

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they estimate would be the cost to the United Kingdom of converting to the euro, as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Lord Sassoon: The coalition agreement sets out that Britain will not join, or prepare to join, the euro in this Parliament. As such, the Government have made no such estimate.

Euro

Lord Pearson of Rannoch: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they or the Bank of England are planning how to respond to a disorderly collapse of the euro; and, if so, whether they intend to share their strategy with the United Kingdom banking and investment community.

Lord Sassoon: As the Chancellor of the Exchequer made clear in his Autumn Statement, the Government are undertaking extensive contingency planning to deal with all potential outcomes of the euro crisis. There are no plans to publish this work.

European Court of Justice

Lord Kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases submitted to the European Court of Justice by the United Kingdom still await judgment.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We currently have 20 live cases that have been referred for a preliminary ruling to the Court of Justice from a UK court or tribunal, and where judgment has not yet issued.
	The cases where judgment is still awaited are as follows:
	
		
			 1. C-147/10 British Sugar 
			 2. C-393/10 O'Brien 
			 3. C-629/10 TUI Travel 
			 4. C-604/10 Football Dataco 
			 5. C-591/10 Littlewoods 
			 6. C-35/11 Test Claimants in the FII Group Litigation 
			 7. C-83/11 Rahman EA 
			 8. C-307/10 CIPA 
			 9. C-130/11 Neurim Pharmaceutical 
			 10. C-406/10 SAS Institute 
			 11. C-147/11 & C-148/11 Czop & Others 
			 12. C-173/11 Football Dataco 
			 13. C-225/11 Able UK 
			 14. C-260/11 Edwards 
			 15. C-300/11 ZZ 
			 16. C-392/11 Field Fisher Waterhouse 
			 17. C-428/11 Purely Creative 
			 18. C-424/11 Wheels 
			 19. C-426/11 Alemo-Herron EA 
			 20. C-500/11 Fruition PO

Exports

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what they consider to be an appropriate euro/sterling exchange level in order to ensure the United Kingdom's competitiveness; what percentage of the United Kingdom's exports are destined for eurozone markets; what percentage and value of the eurozone's exports come to the United Kingdom; and what measures they will take to ensure that the competitiveness of the United Kingdom's export levels to eurozone markets maintains its pre-crisis level.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Government are committed to support UK exports and to foster UK competitiveness. A strategy to achieve this was presented in the Government's plan for growth and in the Autumn Statement 2011. The euro area is an important element of that strategy given that as a whole it represents UK's most important trading partner. In 2010 the euro area countries accounted for 41 per cent of UK's exports of goods and services (£172 billion) against £260 billion exported by the eurozone to the UK (amounting to 8.5 per cent of eurozone countries' total exports or 14.9 per cent of their exports outside the zone).
	Regarding euro/sterling exchange rate, the Government's macroeconomic framework does not include an exchange rate target and it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment on the level of sterling at any given time.

Exports

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what costs they incurred in promoting British exports during the past three financial years; and what is the budgeted expenditure for 2011-12.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The costs incurred in promoting exports by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) are set out below, together with the number of businesses assisted and the additional profit they have told us this helped generate. These figures are taken from UKTI's audited annual report and accounts (HC1005 and HC3).
	
		
			 Year 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			  Outturn Outturn Outturn Budget 
			 Trade support (Exports) £255.5m £264.3m £256.3m £262.0m 
			 Number of businesses significantly assisted 20,700 23,600 23,400 (25,000*) 
			 Additional profit generated £3.6bn £5.2bn £6.0bn - 
		
	
	* target

Finance: Covered Bonds

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will take action to promote the issue and purchase of covered bonds secured on United Kingdom residential mortgages.

Lord Sassoon: The covered bond review, launched in April 2011, set out the key strengths of the UK's regulatory framework for covered bonds and proposed several changes to the UK regime. The Government published their response to the review alongside the Autumn Statement in November. The changes to the regime, which will come into effect on 1 January 2013, will further increase the appeal of UK covered bonds to investors, making it easier for banks and building societies to raise funding in order to lend to households and businesses.

Finance: Credit Easing

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to address the funding consequence of moves towards a predominantly static status by the collateralised loan obligation market.

Lord Sassoon: The Government are aware that the cost of funding for banks has increased significantly and this is affecting credit conditions in the UK. To address this, the Government announced a package of credit easing measures of up to £21 billion in the Autumn Statement, with scope to increase the scale of this package in future, if necessary.

Finance: Derivatives

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the risk to financial stability of sovereign counterparties not being required to post collateral in support of derivative positions.

Lord Sassoon: The UK Government fully support the efforts to reduce systemic risk in derivatives through the measures announced in the European Markets Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR). This is currently being negotiated in the EU. EMIR sets out rules on which counterparties are expected to clear and report over the counter derivatives, as well as collateral requirements.

Finance: Money Advice Service

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the service provided by the Money Advice Service.

Lord Sassoon: The Money Advice Service is an independent body and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) approves its business plan and budget.
	In its annual report, the Money Advice Service reports on the discharge of its consumer financial education function, including setting out the extent to which the body has met its objectives and priorities for the period covered by the report. The annual report for 2010-11 is available on the Money Advice Service's website. The service will publish its 2011-12 annual report later in the year.

Finance: UK Contributions

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 13 December (WA 253), why they will not publish information about meetings that discuss the supply of United Kingdom public funds to a foreign Government.

Lord Sassoon: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to provide details of all such meetings with European and international counterparts.

Financial Services Regulation

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any proposals for increasing regulation of the financial services sector in the United Kingdom; and, if so, what is their timetable for implementation.

Lord Sassoon: The Government will establish a new system of financial services regulators comprising: the Financial Policy Committee (FPC) within the Bank of England, responsible for protecting and enhancing financial stability; the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), a new microprudential regulator with responsibility for ensuring effective prudential regulation of individual firms, as a subsidiary of the Bank of England; and a new independent conduct of business regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
	Draft legislation implementing these changes was published in June 2011. The draft Bill has been subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, which reported on Monday 19 December 2011. The Government will consider the Committee's report and introduce a Bill to Parliament in early 2012.
	In addition, the Government established the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) to make recommendations to promote stability and competition in UK banking. The ICB published its report on 12 September 2011. The report made recommendations for the ring-fencing of vital banking services, improving the loss absorbency of banks, and measures to enhance competition. The Government published their response to the ICB on 19 December 2011, endorsing the ICB's recommendations and setting out the timetable for implementation.

Financial Services Sector

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are employed in the financial services sector in (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) each of the regions of England.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Wigley, dated December 2011.
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people are employed in the financial services sector in (1) Wales, (2) Scotland, (3) Northern Ireland, and (4) each of the regions of England (HL14321).
	The attached table contains the seasonally adjusted number of Workforce Jobs in SIC2007 Section K (financial and insurance activities) for Q3 2011 (September 2011), the latest date for which information is available. Section K includes financial service activities, insurance, reinsurance and pension funding (except compulsory social security), and activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities.
	Workforce Jobs is a quarterly measure of the number of jobs in the United Kingdom (UK) and is the preferred measure of the change in jobs by industry. It is a compound source that draws on a range of employer surveys, household surveys and administrative sources. WFJ is the sum of employee jobs (EJ) measured primarily by employer surveys, self-employment jobs (SEJ) from the labour force survey (LFS), and government-supported trainees (GST) and Her Majesty's forces (HMF) from administrative sources.
	
		
			 Workforce Jobs SIC 2007 Section K 
			 Seasonally Adjusted (Thousands) 
			  Q3 20111 
			 North East 30 
			 North West 98 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 98 
			 East Midlands 43 
			 West Midlands 73 
			 East 83 
			 London 351 
			 South East 123 
			 South West 86 
			 Wales 27 
			 Scotland 93 
			 Northern Ireland 20 
		
	
	1 Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand

Financial Services Sector

Lord Wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what annual value the financial services industry contributes to the gross value added (GVA) measurement for (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland; and what proportion of the GVA of each country is provided by the financial services industry.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Wigley, dated December 2011.
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what annual value the financial services industry contributes to the gross value added (GVA) measurement for (1) England, (2) Scotland, (3) Wales, and (4) Northern Ireland; and what proportion of the GVA of each country is provided by the financial services industry (HL14322).
	The table below shows total GVA (in pounds million) for the financial and insurance activities industry (section K) of the Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC07). Data for the latest available year (2009) are provided for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, along with the contribution of industry K to the GVA of each country.
	
		
			  Industry K Contribution of industry K to total GVA 
			 England 113 999 10.7% 
			 Wales 2 290 5.2% 
			 Scotland 9 249 9.0% 
			 Northern 1 356 5.0% 
		
	
	Source:
	Table 1.3 Headline Workplace based GVA by industry groups at current basic prices http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-223201.

Firearms: Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group

Lord Dear: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Browning on 11 August (WA 465), what is the current membership and work programme of the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group.

Lord Henley: The composition of the Home Office Firearms Forms Working Group (HOFFWG) is as follows:
	Colin Greenwood, British Shooting Sports Council;Peter Taylor, Hertfordshire Police, Firearms Licensing Manager;David Penn, British Shooting Sports Council;Mike Eveleigh, British Association for Shooting and Conservation;Graham Widdecombe, Home Office; andAndy Arnell, Home Office.
	The group is working to agree a combined application form for the grant or renewal of a firearm and/or shot gun certificate and an application form for the variation of a firearm certificate.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 7 February (WA 18-19) and 24 November (WA 275), (1) whether they share the concerns about dental fluorosis that led the Republic of Ireland to lower the concentration of added fluoride in mains water to 0.7 parts per million in 2007, and (2) what relevance the use of more fluoride supplements by the population in the United States has to the incidence of dental fluorosis in the United Kingdom.

Earl Howe: We are not aware of any evidence from the Republic of Ireland to show that levels of dental fluorosis were unacceptable when water supplies were fluoridated at 1 part per million. We cannot see any relevance between the use of more fluoride supplements by the population in the United States and the incidence of dental fluorosis in the United Kingdom. We are awaiting publication of a research study into the prevalence and aesthetic acceptability of dental fluorosis before considering whether the use of a 1 part per million concentration here should be reviewed.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 17 October (WA 14), 1 November (WA 233-4) and 24 November (WA 275-6) concerning medicinal products, what is their authority for the view that fluoride when added to mains water with the intention of protecting teeth does not constitute a medical treatment.

Earl Howe: The authority for our judgment is the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) view that fluoride added to drinking water is not a medical product. We consider that, where there is no physical contact, surgical or otherwise, made with the patient, the critical factor in judging whether a medical treatment is occurring is whether a medical product as defined by the MHRA is involved.

Fluoridation

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 23 May (WA 378-9), whether they intend to commission a larger study, with power to detect small effects, to develop further the analyses from the first report of the Newcastle study into the bioavailability of fluoride in water in 2004, which found a difference in absorption in plasma fluoride between naturally and artificially fluoridated water.

Earl Howe: The department has no current plans to commission a further study on the bioavailability of fluoride in drinking water. The department's National Institute for Health Research welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including water fluoridation. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the scientific quality of the proposals made.

Gendercide

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 7 December (WA 170), whether they expect gendercide issues to be raised by the United Kingdom permanent representative to the United Nations, the British High Commissioner in Delhi and the British Ambassador in Beijing during 2012.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Further to the Answer given on 7 December, our permanent representative to the United Nations, high commissioner in New Delhi and ambassador in Beijing will assess in 2012 suitable opportunities to raise concerns about sex-selective abortion and infanticide in a way that is most likely to be effective.

Government Departments: Historical Sections

Lord Hennessy of Nympsfield: To ask Her Majesty's Government which departments (1) possess a historical section or staff, and (2) have commissioned official histories since 2000; and which of those histories have been published and when.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Cabinet Office has an official histories team, which runs the Government's official history programme on behalf of the Prime Minister and is the only department to produce official histories. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is the only other major department of state that employs full time professional historians. The Ministry of Defence have historians in their army, naval and air historical branches.
	There are other departments that contract historians to write specific departmental histories, for example the Security Service and the Secret Intelligence Service, which have recently published their own histories, but information is not held centrally on any other department that might be commissioning its own departmental histories. The following list shows which official histories have been commissioned by the Cabinet Office since 2000 and which of those have been published:
	
		
			 Official History Title/Author Commissioned Date of Publication 
			 SOE in France (revised edition)/Professor M R D Foot 2000 2004 
			 Secret Flotillas (revised edition)/Brooks Richards 2000 2004 
			 The Channel Tunnel/Dr Terry Gourvish 2001 2006 
			 Civil Service (Volumes I & II)/Professor Rodney Lowe 2002 Volume I-2011 
			 Churchill's Man of Mystery: Desmond Morton and the World of Intelligence/Gill Bennett 2002 2009 
			 Privatisation (Volumes I & II)/ Professor David Parker 2004 Volume I-2009 
			 Secrecy and the Media, the D-Notice System/Nicholas Wilkinson 2005 2009 
			 Mission Accomplished, SOE and Italy/Professor David Stafford 2005 2011 
			 Cabinet Secretaries/Ian Beesley 2007  
			 Joint Intelligence Committee (Volumes I & II)/Dr Michael Goodman 2007  
			 UK Accession to the European Community (Volumes II & III)/Sir Stephan Wall 2007  
			 Chevaline/Professor Matthew Jones 2008  
			 Criminal Justice System/Professor David Downes, Professor Tim Newburn and Paul Rock 2009

Government Departments: Staff

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of Home Office staff have been convicted of criminal offences in connection with their official activities in each of the past five years; and, in each case, what was the name of the offender, the date and nature of the offence, and the sentence received.

Lord Henley: In the past five years there have been 29 convictions of Home Office staff in connection with their official activities. All the officers listed were subject to appropriate disciplinary procedures and were ultimately dismissed as a result of their conviction. The following table shows the breakdown of convictions and dates.
	
		
			 Name Charges Conviction date Sentence 
			 Collins OKELLO Facilitation, Misconduct in Public Office 2006 2 years 
			 Abid HUSSAIN Misconduct in public office 26 March 2007 31/2 years imprisonment 
			  Breaches of Immigration law   
			  Possession of a false instrument   
			 Alvaro FIGUEIREDO Misconduct in Public Office 1 October 2007 21/2 years 
			 Aisha Tokunbo AJIA Misconduct in Public Office 12 February 2008 31/2 years 
			 Mofeyishola Olabamigbe Uzoma JOHN-AYO Misconduct in Public Office 14 March 2008 9 years 
			 William SHUNGU Misconduct in public office 01 May 2008 16 months imprisonment 
			  Fraud   
			 Jahangir ALAM Misconduct in Public Office 6 June 2008 14 months 
			 Shareen Naomi PATTERSON Forgery 29 August 2008 21/2 years 
			 Babs CAREW Bribery 17 October 2008 3 years 
			 Eme ESUA Misconduct in Public Office+ Section 25 of the ID Cards Act 24 April 2009 3 years + 2 x 16 months concurrent 
			 Shannon FRANCIS Fraud 12 May 2009 12 months community order 
			 Aliya ALI Misconduct in Public Office 25 September 2009 5 years 
			 Olawunmi Rashidat MATTHEWS-AKUEMONKHAN Fraud 08 December 2009 21/2 years imprisonment 
			  Unlawfully obtaining personal data contrary to Data Protection Act   
			  Misuse of computers   
			 David HART Fraud 30 December 2009 18 months 
			 Dilip MORAR Fraud 04 February 2010 Sentenced to two custodial sentences of 12 months, each to run concurrently on 25 March 2010 and ordered to pay £6,469.84 compensation and £3000 costs. 
			 
			 Anthony Davis QUARCO Misconduct in Public Office 2 March 2010 9 years 6 years; 
			  Proceeds of Crime Act Offences  5 years 
			  Facilitation  6 year 
			  ID Cards Act Offences  4 x 4 years; 3 x 2 years 
			 Bridget EWORTH (nee IDIGBE) Misconduct in Public Office 16 April 2010 6 years 
			 Arthur THALLAPALLY Misconduct in public office 10 August 2010 4 years imprisonment 
			  Fraud  Subsequent confiscation order to the value of £3,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 
			 Atma SAWH Misconduct in Public Office 1 September 2010 5 years 
			 Peter CRUMBIE Facilitation 19 November 2010 12 Months 
			 Maryam JAVAID Misconduct in Public Office ID Cards Act offence 22 November 2010 2 years 
			 Latesha POLSON Fraud, Using a False Instrument 20 January 2011 100 hours community service + costs + compensation order 
			 Karanjit MAND Fraud, Misuse of Computers 4 April 2011 80 hours community service 
			 Shezad MUSSA Misconduct in Public Office 3 June 2011 12 months 
			 Somayeh RAHIMI NEJAD TAFRESHI Misconduct in public office 22 July 2011 4 years imprisonment 
			Subsequent confiscation order to the value of £25,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act 
			 Benjamin Aghogho ORORORO Misconduct in Public Office 26 August 2011 5 years 
			 Samuel SHOYEJU Misconduct in public office 10 November 2011 7 years 
			 Radhakrishnan KITTOOR RAMMAKRISHNAN Misconduct in public office and money laundering 05 December 2011 8 years 
			 Wayne DAVIS Misconduct in public office 07 December 2011 pleaded guilty not yet sentenced.

Government Departments: Staff

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the salary bands and the employer pension contribution percentages on 1 October 1997 for the third lowest grade of civil servant; and what are the figures now.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The salary bands and the employer pension contribution percentages for 1997 and 2011 are as set out below. The mechanism for calculating the contribution percentages changed on 1 April 1998 and moved from a grade-based approach to a salary-banded approach.
	
		
			 01.04.1997 Grades Administration Officer and below 11.0% 
			   Executive Officer to Senior Executive Officer 13.5% 
			   Grade 7-6 and Senior Civil Service Pay Band1+2 17.5% 
			   Senior Civil Service Pay Band and above 19.5% 
			   Industrial Staff 13.0% 
			   Prison Officers (PO) 21.0% 
			 01.04.2011 Band 1 £21,000 and under 16.7% 
			  Band 2 £21,001 to 43,500 18.8% 
			  Band 3 £43,501 to 74,500 21.8% 
			  Band 4 £74,501 and over 24.3% 
			  PO Pre-Fresh Start Prison Officers (ie in post before September 1987) 25.8%

Government Departments: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 8 December (WA 194), whether they will now ascertain how many civil servants are paid as departmental trade union side staff in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Department for Work and Pensions, the Ministry of Justice, and HM Revenue and Customs; and what was the cost in each of those departments in terms of pay, time off and facilities for those staff last year.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Cabinet Office did not collect centrally the information requested for the past financial year. This is a matter for individual departments to determine.

Government: Collective Responsibility

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they apply a policy of collective responsibility for their actions and policies.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Government's position on collective responsibility is set out in section 2 of the Ministerial Code.

Health and Safety: Prosecutions

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in each of the past five years, how many health and safety prosecutions were pursued by the Health and Safety Executive; in how many such cases convictions were secured; and what was the total amount of costs orders against defendants in such cases.

Lord Freud: The numbers of prosecutions heard in court in the previous five years, and the number of convictions in each year, is presented below. These figures are based on the year in which the prosecution was completed.
	Table 1 gives the number of prosecution cases instituted by HSE in England and Wales together with the number of cases where there was a conviction on at least one charge brought over the period 2006-07 and 2010-11. It also gives the total costs awarded by the courts for prosecution cases brought by HSE heard in that year.
	
		
			 Table 1: HSE prosecution cases in England and Wales (2006-07-2010-11p)1 
			 Year 1 Number of cases for which legal proceedings have been instituted Number of cases resulting in conviction for at least one offence Total costs awarded 
			 2006-07 539 517 £5,762,253 
			 2007-08 501 484 £3,640,309 
			 2008-09 500 469 £3,827,763 
			 2009-10 470 439 £5,051,332 
			 2010-11p 518 484 £6,495,285 
		
	
	1 The figures represent prosecution cases, in the year actually heard, and where a result has been secured. A year is from 1 April to 31 March.
	In Scotland all prosecutions, including those for health and safety, are taken by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). COPFS makes the final decision whether to institute legal proceedings and which offences are taken following a report submitted by HSE. Additionally, unlike England and Wales, no legal costs are awarded by the courts in Scotland.
	Table 2 gives the number of prosecution cases instituted in Scotland and the number of cases where there was a conviction on at least one charge brought between 2006-07 and 2010-11 p.
	
		
			 Table 2: Prosecution cases instituted by COPFS in Scotland (2006-07-2010-11p)1 
			 Year1 Number of cases for which legal proceedings have been instituted Number of cases resulting in conviction for at least one offence 
			 2006-07 45 43 
			 2007-08 66 61 
			 2008-09 80 66 
			 2009-10 35 34 
			 2010-11p 33 33 
		
	
	1 The figures represent prosecution cases, in the year actually heard, and where a result has been secured. A 'year is from 1 April to 31 March.
	p = provisional

Health Protection Agency

Baroness Masham of Ilton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Health Protection Agency will still be able to maintain its contract research commitments once it is brought within Public Health England.

Earl Howe: The Government are committed to fostering and embedding a culture of research and innovation in Public Health England (PHE). It is vital that PHE is able to conduct high quality research and that it is an organisation of the highest scientific quality.
	It has always been the intention of the Government that PHE will be able to continue the income generating activities of those organisations coming into it-including the Health Protection Agency and through contract research.

Health: Anthrax Vaccine

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many doses of anthrax vaccine they expect to hold at the opening of the 2012 Olympic Games.

Earl Howe: A stockpile of anthrax vaccine is maintained as part of the United Kingdom's national emergency preparedness strategy. Details about the quantities of stock held are not shared publicly owing to security considerations.

Health: Anthrax Vaccine

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many members of the emergency services have been vaccinated against anthrax infection.

Earl Howe: Decisions about vaccination are made on the basis of a risk assessment of the potential threat.
	Those most at risk from a non-malicious release of anthrax are typically workers in the wool and hide industries and laboratory staff working with the live virus. A stock of anthrax vaccine is available to treat those infected due to accidental exposure. Infection is not typically transmissible person to person, and for this reason emergency workers are not routinely vaccinated against anthrax.
	A stockpile of anthrax vaccine is maintained as part of the United Kingdom's national emergency preparedness strategy.

Health: Anthrax Vaccine

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to modernise the facilities for producing anthrax vaccines at Porton Down.

Earl Howe: Regular reviews are undertaken of the Porton Down anthrax manufacturing facility and works scheduled accordingly to ensure that it continues to comply with the relevant regulatory standards. Action taken to ensure compliance includes a planned ongoing capital improvements programme involving as part of this, the introduction of isolator barrier technology. Improvements to the manufacturing plant began in the 2009-10 financial year and are expected to be completed over a five-year period at a cost of £5.27 million.

Health: Anthrax Vaccine

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the financial report presented to the Health Protection Agency Board on 25 May 2011, for how long the production of anthrax vaccines has been delayed; how many doses remain in the stockpile; how many doses are currently being produced; what is the shelf-life of those vaccines; and how many doses in the stockpile have exceeded their shelf-life.

Earl Howe: A stockpile of anthrax vaccine is maintained as part of the United Kingdom's national emergency preparedness strategy. Details about the quantity of stock held being produced and the remaining shelf-life of such items are not shared publicly owing to security considerations.
	The delay in the production of anthrax vaccine mentioned in the Health Protection Agency Board's 25 May 2011 report lasted from October 2009 until March 2011, when production recommenced. The shortfall in supply planned for 2010-11 is expected to be made up in the 2011-12 financial year.
	The shelf-life of licensed anthrax vaccine is 36 months.

Health: Anthrax Vaccine

Lord Jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to attend an international conference in May 2012 on preparedness and response to an outbreak of anthrax; and, if so, what preparations they are making.

Earl Howe: The Government are not aware of any conferences on preparedness and response to an outbreak of anthrax planned for May 2012, nor have any notices or invitations been received for such an event.
	The United Kingdom participates in many major international conferences and provides significant input to international bodies such as NATO, the European Union and the Global Health Security Action Group.

Health: Complementary and Alternative Medicines

Baroness Eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many unlicensed black cohosh products are currently for sale in the United Kingdom; and what plans they have to ensure that only licensed black cohosh products with appropriate quality and safety information will be available for sale in future.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has to ensure that unlicensed herbal medicines currently sold as herbal food supplements comply with the directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products.

Earl Howe: The classification of products as medicines is made on a case-by-case basis by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA does not hold information on how many herbal medicines have been presented as food supplements but investigates all products referred to it. Fifteen black cohosh products are currently under investigation and any that are in breach of legislation will be subject to regulatory action. The MHRA is currently considering how effective, proportionate enforcement action can best ensure that the intended benefits of the legislation for consumers and for companies compliant with the legislation are achieved.

Health: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 14 November (WA 116), whether they will now publish the agreement on the introduction of a registration scheme for determining healthcare costs of United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland state pensioners that followed negotiations in March 2011 between senior officials of those countries; and, if not, why not.

Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer of 28 November 2011 (Official Report, col. WA 21), which sets out details of the Government's publication plans for a new agreement with Ireland.

Health: Costs

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 28 November (WA 21), why they agreed a reduction of 1.13 per cent year on year in their liability for pensioners' healthcare costs in the Republic of Ireland; why no account was taken of the survey results that 59.84 per cent of United Kingdom state pensioners resident in the Republic were also entitled to a qualifying pension there; and what was the relevance of the trend analysis of previous years.

Earl Howe: The Government agreed a 1.13 per cent year on year reduction in the number of pensioners that the United Kingdom is liable for until 2014 as this is in line with the trend analysis of previous years showing an average 1.13 per cent reduction in UK liability per year since 1974. Account was taken of all survey results. The Government are now working on a pensioner registration scheme that will provide a more robust and comprehensive basis for payments from 2014.

Health: Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 15 December (WA 283-4), how the actual number of cases of the disease (1:1,000,000 of the population per annum) compares with estimates made during the Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease epidemic.

Earl Howe: The estimate of 1:1,000,000 given in the previous answer refers to the observed world-wide incidence of all human prion diseases. Of these, the majority of cases are sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (OD), which was first described in the 1920s and has no identifiable cause.
	The wide range of estimates that have been made about the potential number of future cases of variant OD, the form first identified by the United Kingdom National Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Research and Surveillance Unit (NCJDRSU) in the mid-1990s and associated with consumption of BSE infected meat and meat products, are separate from the observed number of sporadic cases.
	Monthly data on UK cases are available from the NCJDRSU at: www.cjd.ed.ac.uk/figures.htm.
	International data can be found at the European CJD Surveillance Network site at: www.eurocjd.ed. ac.uk/surveillance%20data%202.htm.

Health: Dermatology

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that changes in the National Health Service following the enactment of the Health and Social Care Bill will not divert resources currently required for the care of adults and children with severe skin diseases.

Earl Howe: Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill, the National Health Service Commissioning Board will be responsible for supporting clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in their commissioning decisions. This will include publishing commissioning guidance to which CCGs must have regard. This will be based on the quality standards that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has developed on the board's behalf. The board will also develop a commissioning outcomes framework to help hold CCGs to account for the quality of the healthcare services they commission.

Health: Dermatology

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that any reorganisation of departments currently teaching and practising dermatology will not restrict the teaching and training of young specialists, and if so how.

Earl Howe: The organisation of departments teaching and practising medical specialties is the responsibility of service providers, supported by deaneries who are responsible for ensuring there is appropriate capacity to train the required numbers of specialists.
	Under proposed reforms to the education and training system, healthcare providers will be able to shape the education and development of the people they employ, working together with those who provide education. Health Education England will be established to provide national leadership and oversight.

Health: Orthopaedics

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in producing a quality standard for the management of fractures, excluding those which occur at the head and hip.

Earl Howe: We have asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) to assess the suitability of fractures (excluding head and hip) as a topic for a quality standard. This assessment will look at the availability of accredited evidence to underpin the development of a quality standard. Further information on the development of quality standards is on NICE's website at: www.nice.org.uk/guidance/quality standards/qualitystandards.jsp.

Health: Statutory Bodies

Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government which health-related statutory bodies can be realigned or restructured without the need for public consultation or consultation with other health-related statutory bodies.

Earl Howe: The Government are committed to effective consultation. National Health Service bodies including strategic health authorities (SHAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs), have a legal obligation under Section 242 of the NHS Act 2006 to make arrangements to involve patients and public in the planning of services, the development of proposals for service change and the operation of services where there is an impact on the range of services or the manner in which those services are provided.
	SHAs and PCTs are subject to the above legislation, but since their clustering has no impact on the range of services or manner in which services are provided, the need for statutory involvement and consultation with patients and public is not triggered.

House of Lords: Grand Committee

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock: To ask the Chairman of Committees what was the total cost of all works and other action taken in connection with the sittings of the Grand Committee on the Welfare Reform Bill in Committee Room 4A.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The following additional costs were incurred as a result of the Grand Committee on the Welfare Reform Bill in Committee Room 4A. They reflect the costs incurred on the 17 days on which the Welfare Reform Bill was considered in Committee Room 4A, as well as the costs from two other Grand Committee sittings that were held in Committee Room 4A as a result. These were in addition to the usual costs that are incurred when the Grand Committee meets in the Moses Room. All costs are inclusive of VAT.
	Wireless microphone system and additional microphone: £10,776.
	Broadcasting: £10,320.

House of Lords: IT

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask the Chairman of Committees how many iPads have been purchased to date for use by Members or staff of the House of Lords.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: Twenty iPads have been purchased for use by Members and staff of the House of Lords to evaluate how handheld devices can facilitate core parliamentary work.

Houses of Parliament: Members' Remuneration

Lord Jacobs: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the current position whereby there are three unpaid Ministers in the House of Commons and the unpaid Ministers in the House of Lords, whether they have plans to amend legislation so that all Ministers are fairly remunerated.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: There are currently no plans to amend the legislation that limits the number of ministerial and office-holder salaries.

Houses of Parliament: Scrutiny Override

Lord Roper: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each department, from January to June 2011, (1) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Lords was overridden, (2) on how many occasions the scrutiny reserve resolution in the House of Commons was overridden, and (3) in respect of how many documents an override occurred in (a) both Houses or (b) either House.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government will always seek to avoid breaching the scrutiny reserve resolutions of either House of Parliament where this is possible. Where overrides are required the Government will continue to account for their actions in writing to the Chairmen of the scrutiny committees in each House. The figures for January-June 2011 are higher when compared against corresponding periods in earlier years, but this can be attributed to the number of urgent measures needed particularly to address the evolving political situation in north Africa and the Middle East. 19 of the Foreign Office's 29 overrides in the House of Lords relate to restrictive measures on Tunisia, Libya and Syria. 10 of the 32 government overrides in the House of Lords occurred when Parliament was in recess. The figures requested are set out in the table below.
	
		
			 Department (1). House of Lords Override (2). House of Commons override (a). No. of overrides in both Houses (b). Total no. of overrides 
			 Department of Business, Innovation and Skills 0 1 0 1 
			 Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 2 2 2 2 
			 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 30 28 26 32 
			 HM Treasury 1 1 1 1 
			  33 32 29 36

Housing

Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether tenants of social housing are allowed to rent out a room; and if so, under what conditions.

Baroness Hanham: All secure tenants have a statutory right under the Housing Act 1985 to take in lodgers and, if their landlord consents, to sublet part of their home. This consent cannot be unreasonably withheld.
	For assured tenants, if there are terms in the tenancy agreement regarding lodgers and subtenants then these terms will apply. If the tenancy agreement is silent on the matter, an assured tenant does not need the landlord's consent to take in a lodger, but the Housing Act 1988 implies into a periodic tenancy agreement that the tenant does need consent to sublet. Where a need for the landlord's consent is implied into the tenancy by the Act in this way, there is no need for the landlord's refusal to be reasonable.

Housing

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have held, or intend to hold, discussions with the house building industry concerning landscaping in, or at the edges of, housing developments.

Baroness Hanham: Details of DCLG Ministers' meetings with external organisations are publishedon a quarterly basis and are available at: www.communities. gov.uk/corporate/transparencyingovernment/ministerialdata/.
	Landscaping of new developments is a local matter. The draft national planning policy framework asks local authorities, through local plans and any neighbourhood plans, to develop comprehensive policies that set out the quality of development that will be expected for the area. The consultation on the draft framework has closed now and we are considering all the responses.

Housing

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have held, or intend to hold, discussions with house building industry concerning the effects of lighting levels in new developments on the night sky.

Baroness Hanham: Details of DCLG Ministers' meetings with external organisations are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: www.communities. gov.uk/corporate/transpareneyingovernment/ministerialdata/.
	Lighting levels in new developments are a matter for local decision. The draft national planning policy framework asks local authorities, through local plans and any neighbourhood plans, to develop comprehensive policies that set out the quality of development that will be expected for the area. The draft framework states that, by encouraging good design, planning policies and decisions should limit the impact of light pollution from artificial light on local amenity, intrinsically dark landscapes and nature conservation. The consultation on the draft framework has now closed and we are considering all the responses.

Housing

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their definition of the word "sustainable" when they use it in relation to new housing developments.

Baroness Hanham: The draft national planning policy framework states that sustainable development means development that meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, as set out in the Brundtland Commission report. When taken as a whole, the policies of the draft framework set out the Government's view of what constitutes sustainable development in practice and how the planning system is expected to deliver it. The consultation on the draft framework has now closed and we are considering all the responses.

Immigration

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty's Government what medication is provided for immigrants being removed to their countries of origin (1) voluntarily, and (2) compulsorily, to protect them against (a) malaria, where the country of origin is one where malaria prophylaxis and bed nets are recommended, (b) yellow fever, where the country of origin is one where it is a legal requirement for entrants to hold a valid yellow fever certificate, and (c) measles and meningitis.

Lord Henley: The UK Border Agency does not provide medical care and treatment directly but does liaise regularly with other expert agencies such as the Department of Health and Health Protection Agency in order to ensure that any necessary safeguards as to health are followed.
	Individuals who are liable to enforced removal or who are proposing to leave voluntarily are generally expected to make their own health protection arrangements. All known medical issues and travel health are discussed with individuals leaving the UK under an assisted voluntary returns scheme and with families as part of the new family returns process. Parents are advised that it is their responsibility to take reasonable steps to cater for their and their family's health needs as they plan to leave the UK.
	Individuals leaving the UK under an assisted voluntary returns scheme would discuss protection against malaria, yellow fever, measles and meningitis with Refugee Action and arrange inoculation in the UK where required. In addition, the UK Border Agency provides mosquito nets, free of charge, to at-risk groups of immigrants being removed to malaria risk countries. At-risk groups are defined as all individuals being removed to malaria risk countries who are pregnant, under the age of 18, or whose immune system is compromised.
	Individuals in detention returning to malaria risk countries who are not in the at-risk groups may purchase a mosquito net from the immigration removal centre's shop. In addition, those in detention who may be particularly vulnerable to infection (e.g. pregnant women) will be prescribed malaria prophylaxis by healthcare staff in line with Health Protection Agency guidance. Immigration removal centres are not specialist centres for yellow fever vaccination. The possibility of requiring vaccination is reduced for families entering the pre-departure accommodation as it is specifically considered as part of the family returns process before they enter the accommodation. A child entering the pre-departure accommodation would receive immunisations for measles and meningitis if he/she was scheduled to receive one in the community from their GP.

Immigration: Gatwick Airport

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government why passengers from Northern Ireland are required to supply photographic identification to the UK Border Agency at Gatwick Airport; when this was introduced; and by whom.

Lord Henley: The UK Border Agency does not routinely require passengers arriving from Northern Ireland to supply photographic identification.
	Passengers arriving from the Republic of Ireland, which is part of the Common Travel Area (CTA), are currently, as a limited risk testing measure, being asked to present a form of photographic identification to ensure that only eligible passengers are using the CTA channel.

International Monetary fund

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any firm commitments have been made for the United Kingdom to contribute a bilateral loan to the International Monetary Fund to ensure that the fund has adequate resources to deal with the eurozone crisis.

Lord Sassoon: As set out at the Cannes G20 summit, the UK is ready to look positively at strengthening the International Monetary Fund's (IMF's) capacity to help countries in difficulty across the world alongside non-European G20 countries.
	The UK strongly believes the IMF must have adequate resources to fulfil its systemic responsibilities. This is particularly important given the current vulnerabilities in the global economy.
	However, as yet, there is no international agreement about the timing, extent, or exact method through which any increase to IMF resources would be delivered.

Iraq

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current assessment of the internal political and security situation in Iraq.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are concerned at recent political developments in Iraq, including an unwelcome increase in sectarian tensions. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt), discussed the political situation with the Iraqi Foreign Minister on 20 December and urged all sides to engage in political dialogue to resolve their differences. We are also urging Iraqi political leaders to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric, and to ensure that, where necessary, due legal process is followed in a full and transparent manner, consistent with the Iraqi constitution. We have condemned the appalling attacks that took place in Baghdad on 22 December.

Israel

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of Israel about their approval (a) of a new permanent neighbourhood and a farm near the West Bank colony of Efrat, and (b) for 40 houses at Givat Hadagan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) and our ambassador to Tel Aviv have all raised the issue of settlements with the Israeli authorities.
	We have repeatedly made clear, publicly and privately to the Israeli Government, that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law and deeply counterproductive to efforts to bring a lasting peace to the Middle East conflict.
	On 20 December, the Foreign Secretary issued the following statement condemning the announcement by the Israeli Government to publish tenders for 1,028 additional housing units in the settlements of Har Homa, Beitar Illit and Givat Ze'ev and of its plans to expand the settlement of Efrat:
	"I condemn the latest Israeli announcements of plans to expand its settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. These are only the most recent in a steady drip of announcements of new or expanded settlements-all of which are illegal under international law and which make it ever harder to achieve the common goal of international efforts: a contiguous Palestinian state living side-by-side in security with Israel with Jerusalem as a shared capital. I strongly urge the Israeli Government to revoke these decisions which are wrong and deeply counterproductive."

Israel

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the quartet has made an assessment of the extent to which Israel complies with its obligations under the 1951 United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees, in respect of Africans entering Israel and claiming asylum; and if not, whether they will encourage it to do so.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are not aware of the quartet making such an assessment. The objective of the quartet is to promote an end to the Israel-Palestine conflict and bring stability to the Middle East.
	Israel's compliance with the United Nations convention of 1951 goes beyond this objective, therefore, the Government are unable to encourage the quartet to make such an assessment.

Israel

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will discuss with the Government of Israel the fire at an Israeli plastics factory in the West Bank near Tulkarm, and the location of potentially dangerous factories in the West Bank, together with the means of disposal for toxic effluents.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Officials at our embassy Tel Aviv and our Consulate-General in Jerusalem are aware of the fire that broke out at an industrial factory on 9 December near the West Bank village of Tulkarm, and of reports that this was caused when explosives were thrown in the area. They are also aware of concerns raised over the environmental impact of the factories. We understand that the Israeli authorities are investigating the fire. Our officials have not discussed the issue with the Israeli authorities at this stage, but will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Israel

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning the comments by Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister that Israel may discontinue infrastructure support in the Gaza Strip if Hamas and Fatah form a unity Government.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have not raised these specific comments with the Israeli Government. However, our officials in our embassy in Tel Aviv have discussed Palestinian reconciliation and Gaza with Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon on a number of occasions, most recently on 28 November.
	The UK will judge any future Palestinian unity Government by their actions and their readiness to work for peace. We have been clear that the Palestinian Authority should be composed of independent figures, uphold the principle of non-violence, be committed to a negotiated two-state solution, and accept previous agreements of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation.

Israel and Palestine

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the internal report sent to the European External Action Service by the deputy heads of European Union embassies in Tel Aviv, which concluded, "We should see Israel's treatment of its minorities as a core issue, not second tier to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government firmly believe that Israel's treatment of its minorities is a core issue.
	The rights of minority citizens in any country are fundamental. We are concerned that Israel's minority Arab population, including Bedouin Arab minorities, are suffering institutional, legal and societal inequality and discrimination.
	We continue to monitor legislation that could have negative repercussions on Israel's minorities. We have lobbied the Israeli Government at a senior level on the potential discriminatory repercussions of these bills.
	The UK attaches the highest importance to the values set out in Israel's Declaration of Independence and basic laws guaranteeing equal treatment to all its citizens, regardless of religion or background. We are concerned by anything that detracts from these, nothing should be done to prejudice Israel's non-Jewish citizens or to discriminate against people on the basis of their race or religion
	Our ambassador in Tel Aviv has repeatedly raised our concerns about the treatment of the Arab minority in Israel and the signals that various measures including the treatment of demonstrators send. We have also allocated £225,000 in support of projects which aim to redress this marginalisation.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Israel concerning the new Israeli military checkpoint established outside Shu'fat refugee camp.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We regularly raise our concerns over access issues in and around East Jerusalem with the Israeli authorities. Officials from our embassy in Tel Aviv discussed the Shu'fat checkpoint with the Israeli authorities in December.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the statement by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, occupied Palestinian territory, that the weekly average of settler attacks against Palestinians has increased by 40 per cent in 2011, whether they will ask the Government of Israel what steps they are taking to deal with this issue in the West Bank.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Officials in our Embassy Tel Aviv have raised our concerns regarding settler violence with the Israeli authorities. We have called on all sides to do all that they can to prevent loss of innocent life, to bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice and to reduce current tensions.
	As the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North East Bedfordshire (Mr Burt) said in his statement of 17 December:
	"I condemn the burning of the Nebi Akasha mosque in West Jerusalem and the Burqa mosque in the West Bank. These are deliberately provocative attacks on places of worship, designed to aggravate tensions.
	"We welcome the clear condemnation of the attacks by Israeli leaders, and the stated intention of the Israeli government to bring the perpetrators to justice. The package of measures announced by Prime Minister Netanyahu in response to settler violence is a welcome step forward. We look forward to seeing the results of these measures, and to seeing those behind the violence punished under law".

Justice: Defence Costs Orders

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount was paid out of court central funds for each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders, distinguishing between legal costs, VAT and disbursements.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the amount paid out of court central funds for each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders relate to cases that have been listed for trial on more than one occasion.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the overall amount paid out of court central funds in each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders was paid to defendants who are either public limited companies, limited companies or individuals.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the overall amount paid out of court central funds in each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders relates to extradition cases; and how many such cases there were.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, in each of the past five years, what percentage of cases relating to defence costs orders were listed for trial on more than one occasion.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the amount paid out of court central funds for each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders relates to cases which were dismissed on a half-time submission of no case to answer, or discontinued on the trial date.

Lord McNally: No central records are kept on the information requested and an answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost. To obtain the information requested would involve the manual examination of thousands of case files.

Justice: Defence Costs Orders

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the amount paid out of court central funds for each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders relates to cases where the amount paid was (1) less than £2,000, (2) more than £2,000 and less than £5,000, (3) more than £5,000 and less than £10,000, or (4) more than £10,000 and less than £15,000.

Lord McNally: Prior to the financial year 2009-10 central records were not kept on payments from central funds in the magistrates' courts. However, for the last two complete financial years the distribution of total expenditure in all courts was as follows:
	
		
			  2009-10 2010-11 
			 Less than £2,000 12.0% 12.0% 
			 £2,000-less than £5,000 17.1% 14.3% 
			 £5,000-less than £ 10,000 8.4% 8.4% 
			 £10,000-less than £15,000 4.0% 4.2%

Justice: Defence Costs Orders

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the amount paid out of court central funds for each of the past five years relating to defence costs orders relates to cases tried in (1) the Magistrates' Court, (2) the Crown Court, or (3) the High Court.

Lord McNally: Prior to the financial year 2009-10 central records were not kept on payments from central funds in the magistrates' courts. However, for the past two complete financial years, the distribution of total cash expenditure was as follows:
	
		
			  2009-10 2010-11 
			 Magistrates' Court 49% 42% 
			 Crown Court 41% 57% 
			 High Court 10% 1%

Justice: Legal Fees

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount was paid from central funds to the defence in the case of R v Denis O'Neill.

Lord McNally: The amount paid for this particular defendant was £426,000. The defendant was one of a number of individuals and companies prosecuted in the case known as Operation Holbein. The total cost of Operation Holbein from the central funds budget was £17.8 million.

Justice: Legal Fees

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what amount was paid from central funds to the defence in the case of R v Fallon.

Lord McNally: The total amount paid was £2.6 million.

Kazakhstan

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent unrest in the west of Kazakhstan and of the response of the Government of Kazakhstan to this unrest.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We were very concerned to hear of the recent unrest in western Kazakhstan. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. The source of the unrest is at present unclear. We have urged Kazakh authorities to undertake a thorough and transparent investigation of the events and welcome their commitment to do so.
	Reports and information continue to emerge, including a video posted on the internet on 20 December. The continued lack of clarity reinforces the need for a full and open investigation. We await the results of this investigation.

Kazakhstan

Viscount Waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any information indicating third-party involvement in the recent unrest in the west of Kazakhstan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: There have been conflicting reports as to what has triggered the recent unrest in western Kazakhstan and to date the source of the unrest remains unclear. We have urged Kazakh authorities to undertake a thorough and transparent investigation of the events and welcome their commitment to do so.

Kimberley Process

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the current state of the Kimberley Process, in particular with regard to (1) the authorisation of exports from two companies operating in the Marange diamond fields in Zimbabwe, and (2) the withdrawal of Global Witness from the Kimberley Process.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Kimberley Process, established in 2003, is an important conflict prevention mechanism that brings increased transparency, regulation and accountability to the global rough diamond trade and reduces the role of rough diamonds in financing conflict. The Kimberley Process now has 50 members representing 76 countries and accounts for over 99 per cent of the global production and trade of rough diamonds. Kimberley Process experts estimate that conflict diamonds have fallen from around 15 per cent of the global rough diamond trade in the 1990s to less than 1 per cent today. The UK is committed to ensuring that the Kimberley Process remains an important and credible mechanism for the prevention of conflict. We are therefore working with international partners to reform the Kimberley Process to help it better address the challenges facing the global diamond trade, in particular in relation to human rights abuses, which the Kimberley Process does not explicitly address.
	I am pleased that agreement was reached on Zimbabwe diamonds at the Kimberley Process Plenary in Kinshasa in November. The agreement is robust but fair. It allows Zimbabwe only to export diamonds from the Marange region that comply with Kimberley Process standards, whilst establishing a credible independent monitoring mechanism to ensure those standards are respected, including a role for civil society. The agreement commits Zimbabwe to take action to bring all mining in Marange into compliance with Kimberley Process minimum standards. The agreement also increases the likelihood that revenues from the export of Kimberley Process-compliant diamonds will benefit the Zimbabwean people. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and respond appropriately to any future developments. We urge all Kimberley Process partners, including Zimbabwe, to firmly uphold Kimberley Process principles and standards in the future.
	We are disappointed that Global Witness has decided to leave the Kimberley Process. As one of the founder members of the Kimberley Process, Global Witness has been a key partner in raising standards in the global diamond supply chain. Despite leaving the Kimberley Process, we hope that Global Witness will continue to engage with international efforts to strengthen and reform the Kimberley Process, as well as efforts to raise standards in the diamond supply chain.

Loughall Incident

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 15 December (WA 285), what total amount of damages they have now paid with regard to the case of Kelly and others v the United Kingdom (30054/96) at the European Court of Human Rights; when and to whom; and what they have proposed to the Committee of Ministers in Strasbourg or effected by way of implementation of the judgment.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: With respect to the total amount of damages paid and to whom, I have nothing further to add to the answer provided on 15 December, (Official Report, col. WA 285).
	The judgment in the case of Kelly and others v the United Kingdom and related cases did not prescribe the action to be taken by the Government but did require an overall effective investigation into killings by State agents. The previous Government proposed a package of measures designed to ensure this in March 2002. Regular updates have been provided to the Committee of Ministers on the implementation of this package. In the specific case of Kelly and others, an investigation by the Historical Enquiries Team has been the principal remedy which responds to the concerns set out by the Court.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many drugs the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has not recommended for use in each year since its formation up until the latest year for which records are available.

Earl Howe: The information requested is shown in the table. Further information is published on the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) website at: www.nice.org.uk/media/64A/EE/NICETADecisionSummary November2011.pdf.
	
		
			 Year Number of drugs and other technologies appraised1,2 Number not recommended1 
			 2000 27 1 
			 2001 31 2 
			 2002 54 6 
			 2003 33 3 
			 2004 49 0 
			 2005 18 0 
			 2006 48 3 
			 2007 30 7 
			 2008 44 9 
			 2009 31 9 
			 2010 47 8 
			 20113 32 8 
		
	
	Source: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
	Notes:
	1 Includes routine reviews of appraisals undertaken in previous years so a drug/treatment indication combination may be included more than once.
	2 Excludes terminated appraisals
	3 2011 figures cover the period January-November 2011.

National Insurance

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will assess the amount of revenue lost because non-European Union workers are allowed a 52-week exclusion from national insurance contributions; and whether this concession includes employer contributions, and, if so, at what estimated cost.

Lord Sassoon: I refer the noble Lord to the answers I gave on 13 July 2011 (col. WA 189), 2 December 2010 (col. WA 484) and 16 November 2010 (col. WA 196), which explained why non-EEA workers are allowed a 52-week exemption from national insurance contributions (which includes employer contributions). Information on the amount of NICs foregone due to this exemption is not available.

NHS: Clinical Databases

Baroness Thomas of Winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many clinical databases are fully funded by the National Health Service.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government what information is held by the National Health Service on clinical databases.

Earl Howe: The bodies that constitute the National Health Service create clinical databases in response to local needs, and no information is held centrally about either the number of such databases or their funding. The information held on these databases is also largely a matter for local determination and will relate to the specific purpose of each database, and again no information is held centrally.

NHS: Food

Baroness Miller of Hendon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the average daily cost per patient of the food provided in each of the National Health Service Trust and Foundation Trust Hospitals, excluding the cost of preparing and delivering such food and other similar overhead expenses.

Earl Howe: This information is not collected in the format requested.
	In 2010-11, the department collected data from National Health Service trusts for the average total daily cost for the provision of all meals and beverages fed to one patient per day. The average cost for all trusts in England for 2010-11 was £8.58, inclusive of all pay and non-pay costs, including provisions, ward issues, disposables, equipment and its maintenance. It is not possible to exclude the cost of preparing and delivering such food because only a total cost is collected.
	The available data for 2010-11 have been placed in the Library.
	The information has been supplied by the NHS and has not been amended centrally. The accuracy and completeness of the information is the responsibility of the provider organisation.

NHS: Foundation Trusts

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average cost of making an application for foundation trust status and the completion of the assessment of that application to (1) the applicant trust, (2) the strategic health authority and the Department of Health, and (3) Monitor.

Earl Howe: The department does not hold information in relation to the average cost of establishing a National Health Service foundation trust.

NHS: Foundation Trusts

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each financial year since 2006-07, how many applications by hospital trusts for foundation trust status were (1) made, (2) withdrawn, and (3) rejected by Monitor.

Earl Howe: The information up to November 2011 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Outcome of applications by NHS trusts for foundation trust status 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Applications passed from Department of Health to Monitor 28 34 22 7 12 3 
			 Withdrawn (a) 0 1 3 1 0 0 
			 Deferred (b) 3 8 2 1 1 0 
			 Postponed (c) 10 6 11 4 6 5 
			 Rejected (d) 1 1 1 0 0 0 
			 Total of (b, c, d) 14 15 14 5 7 5 
		
	
	Notes: Some of the numbers in the table include trusts that may be counted twice, if they have been deferred or postponed twice.
	The trusts passed to Monitor in any given financial year may not be the same trusts shown as either withdrawn, deferred, postponed or rejected by Monitor in that year.
	Definitions:
	(a) Withdrawn = An applicant trust has withdrawn its application to Monitor for foundation status. The trust will revert to the department and will need to be referred back to Monitor by Secretary of State before a new assessment can be made.
	(b) Deferred = Monitor's Board has made a decision to defer (delay) the decision on a trusts' application for foundation trust status, usually for a period of not longer than 12 months.
	(c) Postponed = An applicant trust has requested (and Monitor has agreed) that Monitor's decision on it its application for foundation trust status is delayed, usually for a period of not longer than 12 months
	(d) Rejected = Monitor's Board has rejected a trust's application for foundation trust status. The trust will revert to the department and will need to be referred back to Monitor by Secretary of State before a new assessment can be made.

NHS: Peterborough Primary Care Trust

Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the budget of Peterborough Primary Care Trust was assigned to persons assessed as eligible for continuing healthcare in financial years 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and in 2011-12.
	To ask HerMajesty's Government how many people were assessed as eligible for continuing healthcare by Peterborough Primary Care Trust in 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11 and in 2011-12 to date.

Earl Howe: Peterborough Primary Care Trust (PCT) spent 2.5 per cent of its revenue resource limit on continuing healthcare in 2009-10, and 3.3 per cent in 2010-11.
	Expenditure figures on continuing healthcare were first collected centrally in 2009-10, so earlier figures are not available.
	In providing these figures, the NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care has interpreted "budget" to mean the PCT revenue resource limit. This represents the total allocation for the financial year and is the control that measures the statutory duty imposed on PCTs to maintain revenue expenditure (on an accruals basis) within approved amounts.
	The number of people in receipt of continuing healthcare in Peterborough PCT is shown in the following table.
	
		
			 People in receipt of continuing healthcare in Peterborough PCT 
			 2006-07 70 
			 2007-08 71 
			 2008-09 66 
			 2009-10 152 
			 2010-11 319 
			 2011-12 quarter 2 409 
		
	
	Source: NHS Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Northern Ireland Office: Staff

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 15 December (WA 287-8), and 21 July 2010 (WA 224), how many staff in the Northern Ireland Office are seconded from the Northern Ireland Department of Justice; when such secondments commenced; what assessment has been made of whether the revised environmental allowance should continue to be paid following the devolution of policing and justice powers; and whether such staff in receipt of the allowance are still required and available to work in Northern Ireland prison establishments or operational police stations.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Northern Ireland Office currently has 75 staff on secondment from the Department of Justice (NI). Each individual secondment has a separate start and end date, so it is not possible to provide information on each secondment without incurring disproportionate cost.
	The revised environmental allowance is part of the terms and conditions of staff working for the Department of Justice (NI), and these terms and conditions continue to apply during secondment. Any assessment of whether or not this should continue is a matter for that department.

Northern Ireland: Economy

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the members of the Treasury working party on the rebalancing of the Northern Ireland economy announced in October; and when they are expected to complete their discussions.

Lord Sassoon: The joint Ministerial Working Group on rebalancing the Northern Ireland economy met for the first time in Belfast on 15 December. The group is chaired by the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke. The other members are the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson; the Northern Ireland Minister of State, Hugo Swire; First Minister, Peter Robinson; Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness; the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance and Personnel, Sammy Wilson; and the Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster. The group is expected to conclude its discussions by summer 2012.

Northern Ireland: Human Rights Commission

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House all exchanges they have had with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission concerning its business plan for 2011-12.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: One piece of correspondence concerning the NIHRC business plan for 2011-12 will be placed in the Library of the House: the letter dated 18 May 2011 from the NIO to NIHRC Director. The noble Lord may wish to note that the Commission's business plan for 2011-12 and strategic plan for 2011-2013 was placed in the Library of the House on 7 June 2011.

Nutrition and Health Claims (England) Regulations 2007

Lord Gordon of Strathblane: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the rejection by the European institutions of over 95 per cent of health claims submitted for approval in accordance with the provisions of the Nutrition and Health Claims (England) Regulations 2007 is consistent with the conclusion of the regulatory impact assessment of the regulations that "most claims are expected to be authorised under the Article 13 process" and that "the Commission and European industry representatives foresee most claims on the market as eligible for this list".

Earl Howe: The conclusions drawn in the 2007 regulatory impact assessment were informed by data from the United Kingdom food industry. So far around 20 per cent of article 13 health claims have received a positive opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), but many claims are pending further consideration (e.g. probiotics and botanicals) and so the final number of claims to be authorised is unknown. EFSA has undertaken rigorous scientific assessments of the highest possible standards in accordance with the requirements of the European Community regulation on nutrition and health claims.

OECD: Standards

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they give to British companies requesting guidance to ensure that they are in compliance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's due diligence standards.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to the United Kingdom's obligations and commitments under United Nations Security Council resolutions and to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to ensure that British companies within their jurisdiction implement the OECD's due diligence guidance, what steps they have taken to monitor and report on due diligence by such companies making purchases from or doing business in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.
	To ask Her Majesty's Government which British companies are operating in conflict-affected or high-risk areas including the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what actions they are taking to ensure that Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development due diligence standards are being met by these companies.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines for multinational enterprises provide voluntary principles and standards that the UK Government encourage UK businesses to comply with wherever they are trading and operating. This includes OECD due diligence guidance for responsible supply chains of minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas.
	Awareness-raising initiatives, staff training and guidance literature are used to highlight this guidance to businesses. However, government staff in-market are not qualified or resourced to carry out due diligence services on behalf of businesses; it is for those businesses to understand the guidelines and to ensure they operate in accordance with them, undertaking due diligence checks as required. Accordingly, if a business requests due diligence services it will be sign-posted to suitably qualified local legal firms. No records are kept on compliance with these guidelines, as compliance should be a matter for the local administration.
	The Export Control Organisation (ECO) provides advisory services in a number of areas. ECO is responsible for legislating, assessing and issuing export licences for controlled goods such as certain military and dual use goods, software and technology. The ECO operates an End-User Advice Service that enables exporters to request advice on whether ECO has weapons of mass destruction (WMD) or military end-use concerns related to the organisations or individuals they propose to ship goods to.
	The UK Government are committed to securing a transparent and well-managed business environment for British companies overseas, including in regions of weak governance. Revenue generated by the illegal exploitation of natural resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains a source of finance for armed groups and is a significant contributing factor to conflict. The UK, alongside other international partners, is working to ensure that the DRC's mineral wealth is under legitimate authority, as a source of revenue for the state and the local population, and to cut-off financial support to armed groups.
	The FCO publishes information on its website about the various laws and mechanisms that may apply to businesses trading in conflict minerals, along with advice on where to obtain further information. The Government strongly urge all such businesses to seek independent legal advice and develop their due diligence accordingly.
	Due to commercial confidentiality, it is not possible to provide the details of UK businesses that may be operating in any conflict-affected or high-risk markets.

Olympic Games 2012

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the estimated costs of the fireworks displays in London planned for the London Olympics.

Baroness Garden of Frognal: The Government have made no estimate of the costs of the firework displays in London planned for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Such displays will be the responsibility of either the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) or the Greater London Authority.

Parking

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in relation to their policies seeking to sustain shopping in town centres, they have made any representations to South Somerset District Council concerning the advantages or disadvantages of introducing on-street parking charges in its market towns.

Baroness Hanham: There have been no specific discussions with South Somerset District Council about on street parking charges.
	Councils have a key role in promoting economic development, supporting local economic growth and local jobs.
	This Government have already taken steps to support local high streets. Our plans for the local retention of business rates will mean that councils have a direct financial incentive in supporting business and retail growth in town centres.
	We have also tackled flawed parking rules inherited from the last administration. In January 2011, my department amended national planning guidance to:
	remove Whitehall restrictions that imposed maximum numbers of parking spaces in new residential developments;change a policy that inhibited competition between council areas to one that said parking charges should not undermine the vitality of town centres;introduce a policy that parking enforcement should be proportionate;remove the policy that encouraged councils to set car parking charges to discourage the use of cars; andincrease support for electric car power-charging infrastructure in parking areas.
	The draft national planning policy framework follows through on these changes by removing restrictions which impose maximum numbers of parking spaces in new non residential developments. This will relieve pressure on on-street parking.
	The Government will also be responding to the Mary Portas review, which included policy recommendations on parking, in the spring.

Parliament Square

Lord Trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to Westminster City Council about roadworks in and around Parliament Square, in the light of their responsibility for ensuring free access to the Palace of Westminster for Members of both Houses.

Earl Attlee: Her Majesty's Government have made no such representations, as local road works are a matter for the local highway authority. The noble Lord may wish to inquire whether the House authorities have made any such representations.

Pensions

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 5 December (WA 128-31), why the liabilities of the Royal Mail Pension Plan, the University Superannuation Scheme and the Northern Ireland Local Government Superannuation Committee were not included in the net public services pension liability of £1,133 billion within the whole of government accounts report for the year ended 31 March 2010; what are the prospective pension payments liability for these schemes; and when the figures for the year ending 31 March 2011 will be published.

Lord Sassoon: The Royal Mail pension plan is the principal pension scheme for Royal Mail employees. The pension scheme is not a body classified to the public sector and, therefore, not directly consolidated within whole of government accounts. However, the pension liabilities of the Royal Mail pension plan are reflected in the accounts of the Royal Mail and are included in the net public services pension liability disclosed in the 2009-10 whole of government accounts. Details for this liability are also publicly available in the Royal Mail's accounts on its website.
	The pension liabilities of the Northern Ireland Local Government Superannuation Committee are included in the 2009-10 whole of government accounts, as described in notes 27.1 and 27.3 of the accounts.
	The Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) is the principal pension scheme provided by universities, higher education and other associated institutions for their employees. These bodies are not classified to the public sector. Therefore, the pension liabilities of the University Superannuation Scheme are not included in the 2009-10 whole of government accounts because its contributors are not bodies consolidated within the whole of government accounts. The scheme's liabilities are disclosed in its accounts on its website: http://www.uss.co.uk.
	We aim to publish the 2010-11 whole of government accounts two months earlier in 2012 than in 2011, so by September 2012.

Pensions

Lord Barnett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by Lord Sassoon on 7 December (Official Report, col. 721-2), whether they will publish the memorandum of understanding signed by the pension funds and insurance companies.

Lord Sassoon: The Government have published the Memorandum of Understanding on Her Majesty's Treasury public website: http://www.hm-treasury.gov. uk/foi_mou_2011.htm.

Pensions

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review the practice by which public sector pension schemes admit non-public sector members or extend admission to a wider group of private sector workers.

Lord Sassoon: On 20 December, the Government announced that staff transferring out of public sector employment under Transfer of Undertaking (Protection of Employment) Regulations will be able to retain active membership of their public service pension scheme. Allowing transferred staff to stay in their public service pension schemes will remove pension costs as a barrier to plurality of public service provision, as pension costs will be the same for both public and private sector bids.
	These decisions have only been made possible having reached agreement on wider pension reform.

Pensions

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Sassoon on 14 December (WA 276), whether an extension of Solvency II to cover occupational retirement and pension schemes will require unanimity or qualified majority voting in the European Council.

Lord Sassoon: The European Commission has issued a call for advice on how the Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP) Directive1 governing occupational retirement and pensions schemes can be made consistent with a Solvency 112 approach. It has made clear its intention to bring forward proposals for a reformed directive by the end of 2012.
	In the event that it does bring forward proposals, the directive would be subject to agreement as provided for in the article of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union upon which the proposals would be based. Assuming that the Commission brings forward such proposals on the same legal base as the previous IORP directive, the decision of the European Council would be taken on the basis of a qualified majority vote.
	1 Directive 2003/41/EC
	2 Directive 2009/138/EC

People Trafficking

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many women held in immigration removal centres have been victims of trafficking; why trafficked women are subject to detention; and whether they are monitoring the impact on the mental health of those held.

Lord Henley: The Government are aware of 67 women who were held in immigration detention between 1 April 2009 and 26 October 2011 and who were later identified as victims of trafficking. In 66 of these cases the individuals were subsequently released for this reason and in one case the individual remained in detention prior to an assisted voluntary return. In one further case a victim was detained at the end of her period of recovery and reflection pending removal.
	The Government's policy is not to detain victims of trafficking except in exceptional circumstances on public order or protection grounds. But individuals can find it very hard to disclose their trafficking experiences, making their identification as victims very difficult, even with the level of training given to all front line law enforcement officers. This can mean that people may be detained for a short period of time in connection with a suspected immigration or other criminal offence before their trafficking experience is identified. Following identification they will be released into appropriate care. The Government are continuing to enhance their ability to identify victims earlier by raising awareness of the national referral mechanism (NRM), the UK's framework for identifying and supporting trafficking victims, and enabling more organisations to refer victims to it.
	The UK Border Agency medically screens all individuals on reception at an immigration removal centre. This includes an assessment of their mental health. Those found to be suffering from a serious mental health condition that cannot be satisfactorily managed in an immigration removal centre would not normally be regarded as suitable for detention, and alternative supervision arrangements will be made. Individuals formally identified as potential victims of trafficking are referred to the government-funded support network, and an initial needs and risks assessment will be conducted on the basis of the information available, including any identified mental health issues, to determine the most appropriate support arrangements for that individual. A specialist support provider will then provide support tailored to the individual's specific needs, including access to psychological assistance.

Police: Pursuits

Lord Condon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, since the issuing of the code of practice on the management of police pursuits in May 2011, the number of relevant accidents involving police vehicles increased compared to the equivalent periods in 2010 and 2009.

Lord Henley: Figures collected by the Home Office show, for the 37 forces that could provide figures for both 2008-09 and 2009-10, that there were 4,581 road traffic collisions involving police vehicles resulting from immediate or emergency response and police pursuits in 2008-09, and 4,083 in 2009-10. Figures are not available for 2010-11 as this collection was stopped following a recommendation in Sir David Normington's review "Reducing the Data Burden on Police Forces in England and Wales".
	
		
			 The number of road traffic collisions involving police vehicles resulting from immediate/emergency response and police pursuits, 2008-09 and 2009-101,2 
			 2008-09 4,581 
			 2009-10 4,083 
		
	
	1. Figures are provisional and have not been confirmed with the police forces
	2. Figures exclude Cambridgeshire, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Humberside, City of London and North Yorkshire as they didn't provide figures for both years.

Public Procurement

The Lord Bishop of Derby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the local economy and social indices are considered as part of any large-scale procurement.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: UK public procurement policy is to award contracts on the basis of value for money, which means the optimum combination of cost and quality over the lifetime of the project. Public sector procurers are required to assess value for money from the perspective of the contracting authority using criteria linked to the subject matter of the contract, including compliance with the published specification.
	However, the Government are supporting Lord Newby's Public Services (Social Value) Bill, which is currently awaiting its Second Reading. It aims to make the concept of social value more relevant and important in the placement and provision of public services.

Pregnancy Advice Bureaux

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many inspection visits were made to approved registered Pregnancy Advice Bureaux in 2010; and whether they will place in the Library of the House a summary of findings from those inspection visits.

Earl Howe: The department conducted inspections of new premises up until February 1999. However, these were very resource intensive and did not identify any issues, as new pregnancy advice bureaux (PABx) were generally set up in existing healthcare establishments. As a result, ministerial approval was obtained to cease blanket inspections and no inspections have been undertaken on registration of PABx over the past few years. The department continues to maintain a register of bureaux but has no power to enter or inspect premises uninvited, without legal authority.

Pregnancy Advice Bureaux

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was received in public funding by Pregnancy Advice Bureaux for the purposes of counselling over the past five years.

Earl Howe: Pregnancy Advice Bureaux do not receive funding directly from the department. They may receive funding from primary care trusts, subject to local commissioning arrangements. Information on these contracts is not held by the department.

Private Sector: Labour Productivity

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to address the decline in labour productivity in the private sector.

Baroness Wilcox: I will write to the noble Lord and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Public Sector: Hutton Review

Lord Harrison: To ask Her Majesty's Government which of the recommendations in the Hutton review of fair pay in the public sector they intend to implement.

Lord Sassoon: The Government welcomed Will Hutton's review as a basis for senior pay setting in the public sector at the 2011 Budget. Since then, departments have made progress in a number of areas in implementing Mr Hutton's recommendations.
	For example, the Government publish the names, grades, job titles and annual pay rates for most senior civil servants and non-departmental public body (NDPB) officials with salaries above £150,000. The Localism Act now also requires councils and fire and rescue authorities to explain their approach to the pay of both senior and the lowest paid staff and how senior reward relates to the pay of a body's wider workforce.
	On Mr Hutton's recommendation, the Government have also supported the publication of the Senior Salaries Review Body report on NDPB chief executive pay, which sets out a clear process of benchmarks and evaluation for these individuals, for the first time. Departments are now implementing this framework for their NDPBs.

Questions for Written Answer

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: to ask the Leader of the House what percentage of Questions for Written Answer tabled by Members to Her Majesty's Government in 2011 received a reply in 10 working days.

Lord Strathclyde: The number of Questions for Written Answer remaining unanswered after 10 working days by each government department is published every sitting day in House of Lords Business. We do not hold annual statistics centrally.

Republic of Ireland: Commemorations

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 19 December (WA 328), by what means they are working to ensure that over the next decade of commemorations, each event is handled in such a way to be respectful.

Lord Shutt of Greetland: The Government continue to engage with a range of interested parties on this issue with a view to encouraging better understanding and tolerance in all commemorations.

Republic of Ireland: Financial Support

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the loan they provided to the Government of the Republic of Ireland has been paid to staff of Allied Irish Banks as bonuses; and what representations they have made about any such payments.

Lord Sassoon: The UK bilateral loan to Ireland is part of an international assistance package, designed to stabilise the Irish economy and public finances. The UK bilateral loan is not hypothecated to specific purposes but contributes to Ireland's general government financing. Any bonus payments to staff of Allied Irish Bank are a matter for that bank and for the Irish authorities.

Roads: Noise

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to local authorities and other responsible bodies on the use of sound-deadening materials on roads near to large-scale new housing developments for which planning permission has been granted.

Earl Attlee: As part of any planning permission, it will be for local planning authorities to decide whether they require a detailed assessment of noise mitigation measures to protect a development from the adverse effects of environmental noise from road and other transport noise.
	It is also for individual local highway authorities, under the Highways Act 1980, to assess which parts of its network are in need of repair and what materials should be applied when resurfacing based upon their local knowledge. Central government have no powers to override local decisions in these matters.
	However, where running surfaces are renewed or resurfaced the opportunity may exist to mitigate the effects of traffic noise it will be for authorities to evaluate the option of a lower noise alternative which could provide significant benefit to local communities.

Roma People

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the governments concerned in former Yugoslavia countries, especially in Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia, about the provision of passports to stateless Roma people.

Lord Howell of Guildford: While there have been no representations made to Governments of countries from the former Yugoslavia concerning provision of passports to stateless Roma peoples, the UK continues to support minority rights across the region. We welcome the European Union General Affairs Council's statement on 5 December 2011 on minority rights in the western Balkans, reiterating the importance of protection of all minorities and calling on the Governments of the region to take the necessary actions to address outstanding concerns. The same conclusions also called for work to continue on improving the social and economic inclusion of vulnerable groups including the Roma.

Roma People

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to prevent European Union funds for support of Roma people being used by member states for other purposes.

Lord Howell of Guildford: In May 2011 the European Union (EU) adopted Council Conclusions on an EU framework for national roma integration strategies up to 2020, encouraging member states to pursue efforts in the fields of education, employment, healthcare and housing, with a view to closing the gaps between marginalized Roma communities and the general population.
	The EU Commission, in co-operation with the Court of Auditors, is responsible for monitoring the spending of EU funds by member states. The UK is not aware of any cases where funds allocated to Roma projects have been diverted to other projects. The UK supports efforts to ensure that EU funds are used correctly. Through our network of embassies, the Government also directly fund a number of projects aimed at improving the position of Roma people.

Roma People

Baroness Whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Governments of Bulgaria, Romania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia on the conditions of their Roma citizens.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government remain concerned about the violence and discrimination Roma continue to face in many parts of Europe. While countries hold the primary responsibility for promoting the inclusion of all their communities, there is scope for international co-operation too. In Bulgaria, our embassy regularly raises Roma integration issues with the Bulgarian government, and has joined other European Union missions in discussing the issues with the Deputy Prime Minister. In Romania, our embassy regularly raises the situation of the Roma and the national integration strategy with the responsible State Secretary (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State equivalent).
	In addition our embassy raises Roma issues with a wide range of political, ecumenical and non-governmental organisation contacts, and has facilitated links between UK and Romanian partners, and funded UK experts, to share best practice on Roma inclusion in schools. We have also supported Roma health mediators to improve access for the Roma to the healthcare system. Our embassy in the Czech Republic regularly discusses issues affecting the Roma community with representatives of the Czech Government, including the Czech human rights commissioner. Our ambassador has been active in meeting Roma communities too. Earlier this year two student interns focussed on Roma issues joined the embassy to help enhance our understanding. In Slovakia our Embassy raises this issue at an official level. In addition, the chargé d'affaires called on the special representative for Roma issues shortly after he was appointed. Our embassy also funds several Roma projects, including on educational attainment.

Saudi Arabia

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of Saudi Arabia about recent arrests of peaceful demonstrators, and about proposals for a new anti-terror law.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Ministers and our embassy in Riyadh are in regular contact with the Saudi Arabian Government and Saudi human rights organisations on human rights issues. There is widespread acceptance in the Saudi Arabian Government and Saudi human rights organisations that the draft anti-terror law is unsuitable in its present form; the current draft is extremely unlikely to pass into law. Our embassy has raised the issue of arbitrary detentions with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice and has been given permission to attend a forthcoming terror trial.
	Freedom of expression concerns largely relate to the periods of unrest in the Eastern Province this year. Following the most recent outbreak of unrest in November, our embassy asked the Saudi authorities for further information, noting the statement issued by the Saudi Government on 23 November that security forces have been instructed to exercise restraint.

School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2007

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect their proposed amendment to the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2007 will be enacted.

Lord Hill of Oareford: We intend to make the amendment to the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2007 in January 2012 and anticipate it will come into force in February 2012.

Schools: Academies

Lord Lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make provision for voluntary-aided schools in church ownership which wish to become academies to do so on terms devised by those schools.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The framework within which an academy operates is set out in its funding agreement and articles of association. The department has agreed model articles with the Catholic Education Service and the National Society for the Church of England that would be appropriate for a voluntary-aided school to use when converting to an academy. Using the models allows such schools to continue, after conversion, with the same rights they currently have in relation to, for example, admissions, employment of staff, and the proportion of church representation on the governing body. We are willing to be flexible to capture local differences in the documentation where this is appropriate and where it does not result in a school using the conversion process to change its character.

Schools: Nutrition

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 13 December (WA 254-5), what steps the Department for Education has taken to make schools and parents aware of the results of research which shows that pupils perform better following a healthy breakfast and a nutritious lunch.

Lord Hill of Oareford: The department makes it clear on its website that providing good-quality food improves children's health, behaviour and performance. It also includes a link to the School Food Trust's website. The School Food Trust has presented the findings from their research into the impact of breakfast clubs and school lunches on the ability of pupils to concentrate and learn on numerous occasions: at national conferences of teachers and head teachers; in newsletters to cooks; in newsletters to those with a specific interest in the trust's research, including health professionals who have regular contact with parents; and in conversation and correspondence with parents in schools and on an individual basis. The information is also available on the trust's website in a user-friendly format.

Schools: Nutrition

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, representations have been received from academies and free schools requesting that they be exempt from the requirement to apply the national nutritional standards for school lunches.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Academies that have opened since September 2010 and all free schools are not bound by the school food regulations. Therefore, the department has not received any representations from academies or free schools requesting that they be exempt from applying the nutritional standards for school lunches. Academies that opened prior to September 2010 were bound by the terms of their agreement with the department to meet those standards. Of those older academies none have applied to be exempt from the standards.

Schools: Teachers' Pay

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the salary band and the employer pension contribution percentage on 1 October 1997 for a teacher having just started their third year in the profession; and what are the figures now.

Lord Hill of Oareford: On 1 October 1997 there was a 17-point pay spine for classroom teachers working in maintained schools in England and Wales. A teacher's salary would have been determined by the relevant body (usually the governing body) taking into account their qualifications, experience, responsibilities, performance and any recruitment and/or retention difficulties. At the start of their third year in the profession, a teacher with a good honours degree would be paid at least £15,876 per annum (point 4). Additional allowances were payable to teachers working in the Inner London, Outer London and fringe' areas. The employers' contribution rate for members of the teachers' pension scheme on 1 October 1997 was 7.2 per cent of salaries.
	The classroom teachers' main pay scale now consists of six points. A maintained school's relevant body is still responsible for determining a teacher's salary on the basis of their experience, responsibilities, performance and any recruitment and/or retention difficulties. At the start of their third year in the profession, a teacher would be paid at least £25,168 per annum (point 3). There are higher pay scales for teachers working in the inner London, outer London and fringe areas. The employers' contribution rate for members of the teachers' pension scheme is 14.1 per cent of salaries.
	However, academies and free schools who are not bound by the school teachers' pay and conditions document are able to set their own rates of pay.

Schools: Teachers' Pay

Baroness Byford: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the salary band and the employer pension contribution percentage on 1 October 1997 for the head teacher of a group 6 secondary school; and what are the figures now.

Lord Hill of Oareford: On 1 October 1997 there were six pay groups for head teachers working in maintained schools in England and Wales. A head teacher's salary would have been determined by the relevant body (usually the governing body) having regard to the responsibilities of the post, the background of the pupils attending the school, whether the post was difficult to fill and the performance of the head teacher. The head teacher of a group 6 school would have been paid between £44,223 and £56,676 per annum. Additional allowances were payable to head teachers working in the inner London, outer London and fringe areas. The employers' contribution rate for members of the teachers' pension scheme on 1 October 1997 was 7.2 per cent of salaries.
	There are now eight head teacher pay groups. A maintained school's relevant body is responsible for determining a head teacher's salary on the basis of the number of pupils attending the school, the responsibilities of the post and the performance of the head teacher. The head teacher of a group 6 school is currently paid between £61,288 and £86,365 per annum. A head teacher of a group 8 school is paid between £72,752 and £105,097 per annum. There are higher pay scales for head teachers working in the inner London, outer London and fringe areas. The relevant body may also award discretionary payments of up to 25 per cent of the head teacher's salary point for a number of factors, including substantial recruitment or retention difficulties. The employers' contribution rate for members of the teachers' pension scheme is 14.1 per cent of salaries. Academies and free schools that are not bound by the statutory school teachers' pay and conditions document are able to set their own rates of pay.

Smoking

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will review restrictions on smoking in public places and the workplace in the light of the experience of those countries in Europe that have adopted a policy of separation rather than prohibition.

Earl Howe: The Government have no plans to review the smokefree legislation introduced in England in 2007.
	The independent academic review of the evidence on the impact of the smokefree legislation, published alongside the tobacco control plan for England in March 2011, clearly showed that the legislation has had beneficial effects on health. We also know that levels of compliance and public support for the law are high. The Government believe that the aims of the legislation continue to be achieved effectively.
	Copies of the tobacco control plan and the evidence review have already been placed in the Library.

Somalia

Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the conference on Somalia due to be held in February in London will focus on development and humanitarian concerns.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The London Conference on Somalia on 23 February will seek to deliver a new, action-oriented international approach to Somalia, building on the progress being made on the ground. We would like the conference to agree a series of practical measures to support Somalia under six headings:
	Confronting terrorism and piracy;Supporting peacekeeping activity;Broadening responsibility for a peaceful political settlement;Alleviating famine and displacement, and developing systems and livelihoods; - Promoting stability at the sub-national level; andImproving international co-ordination.
	We are discussing with our Somali and international partners how best to address humanitarian issues at the conference, including the question of famine and resilience.

Stateless People

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the United Kingdom's international obligations under the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, what action they are taking regarding stateless persons residing in the United Kingdom.

Lord Henley: The UK has ratified the 1954 UN Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness. The Government are satisfied that the UK meets the obligations contained in these conventions and provides protection to stateless persons in the UK. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees has recently conducted research on the extent of statelessness in the UK and the Government are carefully considering the recommendations of that research.

Strategic Partners

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 7 December (WA 182), what concrete achievements have resulted to date from the United Kingdom-Turkey strategic partnership.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK-Turkey strategic partnership has led to a deepening of collaboration in the fields of trade, defence, counterterrorism, migration, and energy security. The recent state visit to the UK by the President of Turkey has reinforced this collaboration. The state visit saw the signing of a military co-operation treaty that will enable more joint training with Turkey, as well as an agreement to promote defence industrial partnerships between the UK and Turkey. Since the signing of the strategic partnership, there has been a focus on increasing trade through the launch of the UK-Turkey CEO forum and the UK-Turkey knowledge partnership. By the end of 2011, bilateral trade was estimated at over £9 billion, up by nearly 40 per cent from the previous 2009 baseline. The UK-Turkey strategic partnership has also enhanced co-operation in countering irregular migration through the greater sharing of expertise, technology and intelligence.

Sudan

Lord Chidgey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the conflict situations evolving in regions of Sudan, in particular in Blue Nile, South Kordofan, Abyei, and Darfur; and what specific representations they have made or intend to make to the different stakeholders in the conflict in order to implement a lasting political solution.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We remain greatly concerned by the ongoing internal conflicts in Sudan, and by the long-term impacts of this continued violence. We continue to work closely with our international partners to push for an immediate cessation of hostilities for each of these conflicts, pressing the parties involved to engage in or agree the establishment of agreed processes to address the root causes of violence. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my honourable friend the Member for North West Norfolk (Mr Bellingham), raised these issues personally with Sudanese Presidential Adviser Dr Ghazi Salah Eldin Atabani on 16 December, and the UK special representative visited Cairo on 21 December to discuss the challenges facing Sudan with the Arab League and the Egyptian Government. Our embassy in Khartoum regularly urges the Government of Sudan to allow humanitarian access in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile States, and to establish a political process aimed at a lasting peace within Sudan.

Sudan and South Sudan

The Duke of Montrose: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the United Kingdom's role in the formation of the comprehensive peace agreement, which elements of the agreement dealing with oil production have still to be settled between Sudan and South Sudan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The comprehensive peace agreement dealt with oil revenues only prior to South Sudan's independence. The two sides did not reach agreement for the longer term before South Sudan became independent in July 2011, but the oil pipeline remains open. Talks continue on oil revenues and other outstanding issues, including the border, the future of Abyei and citizenship, assisted by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel led by former President Mbeki, to which the UK contributes technical and other assistance.

Sudan and South Sudan

The Duke of Montrose: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the United Kingdom's role in the formation of the comprehensive peace agreement, what are the current arrangements for allocating the revenues from oil between Sudan and South Sudan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The comprehensive peace agreement dealt with oil revenues only prior to South Sudan's independence. The two sides did not reach agreement for the longer term before South Sudan became independent in July 2011, but the oil pipeline remains open. Talks continue on oil revenues and other outstanding issues, including the border, the future of Abyei and citizenship, assisted by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel led by former President Mbeki, to which the UK contributes technical and other assistance.

Sudan and South Sudan

The Duke of Montrose: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the United Kingdom's role in the formation of the comprehensive peace agreement, what is the extent of the issues that are the basis of the present disagreement which has caused the closing of the oil pipeline between Sudan and South Sudan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The comprehensive peace agreement dealt with oil revenues only prior to South Sudan's independence. The two sides did not reach agreement for the longer term before South Sudan became independent in July 2011, but the oil pipeline remains open. Talks continue on oil revenues and other outstanding issues, including the border, the future of Abyei and citizenship, assisted by the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel led by former President Mbeki, to which the UK contributes technical and other assistance.

Surveillance

Lord Tebbit: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any agencies of Government have the power to conduct surveillance upon or interfere in the affairs of persons or organisations suspected of working within the United Kingdom against the national interest.

Lord Henley: The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) and the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (ISA) set out which organisations may conduct surveillance and property interference for the purposes of, inter alia, national security and the prevention and detection of serious crime; and under which procedures.

Surveillance: Telecommunications

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have examined the licensing arrangements for the export of surveillance technology applied by the United States authorities; and whether they consider that similar export controls should be established in the United Kingdom.

Baroness Wilcox: The extent to which export controls should apply to surveillance equipment is something that the Government are actively considering particularly in relation to Syria and Iran. As part of that consideration, officials from my department will examine the licensing arrangements for surveillance technology operated by the US Government.

Surveillance: Telecommunications

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they continue to allow British companies to export to, and have service arrangements for surveillance technology with, Iran and Syria.

Baroness Wilcox: I will write to the noble Lord and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Surveillance: Telecommunications

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have not required United Kingdom companies to be licensed for the export of surveillance technology in the light of the decision of the United States authorities to license it strictly; and why the United Kingdom and the United States interpret differently the military and dual-use lists arrangements issued as part of the Wassenaar arrangement applied to both countries' exports.

Baroness Wilcox: I will write to the noble Lord and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Taiwan

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 19 December (WA 334), whether they support the Government of China's view that Taiwan is a province of the Republic of China; and, if so, why.

Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to my previous Answer on 19 December 2011 (WA 334). Our long-standing position on Taiwan has not changed.

Terrorism: Drone Attacks

Lord Hollick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidelines the United Kingdom has on sharing with the United States intelligence information which might reasonably be expected to be used in drone attacks in the Pakistani border regions.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We do not comment on intelligence matters. All activity, whether in support of UK or allied forces, is authorised and in strict accordance with UK policy and law.
	Drone strikes are a matter for the United States and Pakistan. Both are key allies that are facing a shared and dangerous threat from violent extremists who also threaten the UK. There is a need for effective action and for Pakistani ownership of the fight against violent extremism. It is important that Pakistan and the international community continue to work together to combat this common threat.

Tobacco

Lord Stoddart of Swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Earl Howe on 15 December (WS 167) concerning tobacco packaging, what steps they will take to ensure that tobacco manufacturers, retailers and smokers' organisations have the same opportunities as anti-smoking bodies in the consultation process, including access to ministers and officials.

Earl Howe: As set out in the Written Statement on 15 December 2011 (Official Report, col. WS 167) we would encourage all those with an interest to respond to the forthcoming consultation on tobacco packaging.
	All responses received during the consultation period will be carefully considered and included within the summary of consultation responses that will be published following the completion of the consultation.

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are analysing the proceedings and resolution of the 8th International Conference on the European Union, Turkey and the Kurds, held in the European Parliament on 7 and 8 December; and if so, whether they will publish their conclusions.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are aware of but have not analysed the proceedings and resolution of the 8th International Conference on the European Union, Turkey and the Kurds. We continue to support Turkey in its efforts to create democratic values and institutions that guarantee the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities, including the Kurds.

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are discussing with the Government of Turkey the arrest of five members of the Grand National Assembly from the Peace and Democracy Party and others accused of links to the Kurdistan Communities Union; and if so, with what results.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government have discussed with the Turkish Government issues surrounding the arrests of large numbers of Kurdish activists in Turkey; particularly freedom of expression, lengthy pre-trial detention, the definition of terrorist offences and use of anti-terror legislation.
	We have not made representations on these specific cases. It is not general practice of the Government to comment on individual judicial processes, but we expect legal and judicial standards to be observed in line with Turkey's responsibilities as a member of the Council of Europe. Our embassy will continue to monitor closely the issue surrounding the arrests of large numbers of Kurdish officials and activists as well as journalists.

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will raise with the Government of Turkey the release from arrest of Professor Büsra Ersanli and Ms Ayse Berktay.

Lord Howell of Guildford: It is not general government practice to comment on individual judicial processes, but we expect legal and judicial standards to be observed in line with Turkey's responsibilities as a member of the Council of Europe. We regularly raise human rights issues with our Turkish counterparts and will continue to do so. Our embassy will continue to monitor these cases closely.

Turkey

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 13 December (WA 232), whether they also believe that greater freedom of the media is in Turkey's own interests.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government believe that greater freedom of the media is strongly in Turkey's interests. A free media and freedom of opinion and expression are fundamental to ensuring that citizens can exercise their full democratic rights. Turkey's European Union (EU) accession is conditional upon realisation of the economic, political and human rights guaranteed to all EU citizens.

Turkey

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Howell of Guildford on 13 December (WA 256-7), what concrete results were achieved in 2011 as a result of their engagement with the Government of Turkey on human rights.

Lord Howell of Guildford: As a result of UK and wider European Union engagement Turkey has, amongst other issues, made progress on freedom of religion. The Turkish Government took decisive action in amending the 2008 Law on Foundations, aimed at returning properties to religious foundations. There have been several instances of progress on greater freedom of worship, for example, the continuing church services in Sumela Monastery, the Church of the Holy Cross in Akhdamar and the continued dialogue with non-Muslim religions.
	In 2011 the Turkish Government ratified OPCAT (Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture), which has ensured a positive step in the prevention of torture and ill treatment.
	The Turkish Government also made progress on cultural rights, particularly on the use of language other than Turkish by all nationwide radio and television stations.
	Our embassy funds human rights-related projects, including efforts to reform counterterrorist legislation and improve awareness of children's, women's and lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. The Turkish Ministry of Justice has announced that it is preparing an action plan on freedom of expression to resolve the problems arising from existing legislation and implementation in the area of freedom of expression and the media. The Government contributed to this by arranging a visit for the Turkish Ministry of Justice aimed at reform priorities in this area.
	We will continue to encourage Turkey to make further progress in improving its overall human rights record.

Turkey

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Howell of Guildford on 13 December (WA 256), through what mechanisms they work closely with other European Union member states to address human rights issues; and whether those issues could be raised within the structure of the United Kingdom-Turkey strategic partnership.

Lord Howell of Guildford: Our embassy in Ankara participates in the twice yearly meeting on the European Union (EU) Human Rights Defenders strategy for Turkey and in regular EU co-ordination meetings on human rights related projects. Our embassy contributed to two joint projects, on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues and on refugee interpreter training. Our embassy also attends regular monthly meetings with "likeminded" embassies, including the EU Commission and EU member states. These meetings focus exclusively on human rights issues and have led directly to the co-funding of human rights-related projects.
	The Government also contribute to the EU's Instrument for Pre-Accession fund. In 2010 the UK Probation Service undertook a project in Turkey to help the Turkish authorities improve Turkish probationary procedures.
	The UK-Turkey strategic partnership provides an overall framework for the relationship between the UK and Turkey. We will continue to encourage Turkey to make further progress in improving its overall human rights record.

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the Government of Turkey regarding the number of journalists and lawyers at present under arrest, in particular lawyers acting for Abdullah Ocalan.

Lord Howell of Guildford: We have raised with the Government of Turkey our concerns over the arrests of journalists and lawyers. However, we do not plan to make representations in individual cases. It is not general government practice to comment on ongoing judicial processes, but we expect high legal and judicial standards to be observed in line with Turkey's responsibilities as a member of the Council of Europe. Our embassy in Ankara will continue to monitor the situation closely.

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the Government of Turkey about the ban on prison visits to Abdullah Ocalan during the past four months.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government do not plan to make representations to the Government of Turkey on prison visits to Abdullah Ocalan.

Turkey

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will call for an independent inquiry into the alleged use of chemical weapons by Turkish armed forces in eastern Turkey.

Lord Howell of Guildford: The Government are not planning to call for an independent inquiry into the alleged use of chemical weapons by Turkish Armed Forces in eastern Turkey. We are aware of reports of the alleged use of chemical weapons but we have no evidence to suggest that Turkey has used them.

Turks and Caicos Islands

Lord Kennedy of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the present situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Lord Howell of Guildford: I refer the noble Lord to a statement made by the Governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands on 14 December: http://turksandcaicosislands.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=News&id=711656782.

UK Border Agency: Staff

Lord Marlesford: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are arrangements to prevent collusion by members of UK Border Agency staff in the administration, granting or confirmation of applications for entry into, or residence in, the United Kingdom.

Lord Henley: The UK Border Agency has a range of measures in place to prevent collusion by members of UK Border Agency staff in relation to the administration, granting or confirmation of application for entry into, or residence in, the United Kingdom. I am unable to share detail on this as to do so could compromise the prevention or detection of crime. However, general examples include management and system controls, audits and assurances of systems and procedures and the use of sophisticated data mining technology.

UK Trade and Investment

Lord Hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the value of the United Kingdom's trade with the rest of the European Union; what is the value of the rest of the European Union's trade with the United Kingdom; and what, if any, is the total deficit on the United Kingdom's trade with the rest of the European Union.

Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint: Data published by the Office for National Statistics in the Balance of Payments, 2nd quarter 2011 statistical bulletin on 25 October 2011 show that in Q2 2011, the UK exported goods and services to the value of £59 billion to the European Union, and imported goods and services to the value of £64 billion from the European Union, resulting in a trade deficit of £5 billion in the quarter. Data for Q3 2011 is planned for publication on 22 December 2011.

UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime

Lord Moonie: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to ratify the 2001 Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, their Parts and Components and Ammunition, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, which they signed on 6 May 2002.

Lord Henley: The European Commission was responsible for negotiating a number of the main articles in the firearms protocol and will be looking to ratify these once they are enshrined in European law. The Commission has already amended the European weapons directive to reflect most of the changes required by the protocol and has also been working to incorporate into EU law the relevant provisions of Article 10 on general requirements for export, import and transit licensing.
	The Government will look to ratify the protocol once all these changes have been transposed into UK legislation.

Unemployment

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 8 December (WA 199-200), what is the internationally agreed definition of unemployment as prescribed by the International Labour Organisation; why it requires full-time students to be counted as unemployed if they are actively seeking work and are available to start a job; and how the Labour Force Survey collects its information on such students.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS, to Lord Laird, dated 3 January 2012.
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking, further to the Written Answer by Lord Shutt of Greetland on 8 December (WA 199-200), what is the internationally agreed definition of unemployment as prescribed by the International Labour Organisation; why it requires full-time students to be counted as unemployed if they are actively seeking work and are available to start a job; and how the Labour Force Survey collects its information on such students. [CO] HL14283
	The internationally agreed definition of unemployment was established by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 1982 in order to enhance the international comparability of statistics relating to the economically active population. The definition of unemployment is contained in a resolution adopted by the Thirteenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians in October 1982. The resolution concerns statistics of the economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment. The key elements of the resolution regarding the measurement of unemployment are as follows:
	Paragraph 10 part 1 of the resolution states that the "unemployed" comprise all persons above a specified age who, during the reference period, were:
	(a) without work;
	(b) currently available for work; and
	(c) seeking work.
	In addition, people without work and currently available for work who are also waiting to start a job they have already obtained are regarded as unemployed.
	The resolution also refers to students. Paragraph 10 part 6 states that students, homemakers and others mainly engaged in non-economic activities during the reference period, who satisfy the criteria in part 1, should be regarded as unemployed on the same basis as other categories of unemployed persons and be identified separately, where possible.
	The labour force survey (LFS), carried out by ONS, is the main source of estimates of unemployment. The survey has applied the ILO definition directly since 1983 and estimates consistent with this basis have been produced back to 1971. The reference period is defined as the week prior to interview. The LFS also assumes that the period of seeking work relates to the four weeks prior to the reference week and that availability for work should be within the two weeks following the reference week.
	Aggregate estimates of unemployment sourced from the LFS are published every month in the labour market statistical bulletin. The bulletin's tables include a breakdown of the economic activity of people aged 16-24 by whether or not they are in full-time education. This table therefore includes estimates of the number of young people who are in full-time education and unemployed, alongside an estimate of unemployment among those not in full-time education.
	The LFS is a continuous survey of around 43,000 households per quarter, containing about 100,000 people in total. All persons in each household are interviewed. Also, any students living in halls of residence during term time but based at their family residence otherwise are included, by proxy if required. The LFS asks a series of detailed questions about people's employment status and their activity if not in work. All of these questions are consistent with the ILO resolution referred to above.

Welfare Reform Bill

Baroness Browning: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made as to whether the Welfare Reform Bill is compliant with the Autism Act 2009.

Lord Freud: The Autism Act 2009 relates to the provision of relevant services by local authorities, NHS bodies and NHS foundation trusts to adults in England with autistic spectrum conditions. These areas are not the subject matter of the Welfare Reform Bill.
	Full impact assessments and equality impact assessments on the measures contained within the Welfare Reform Bill have been conducted and are kept up to date. These are available at: http://www.dwp.gov. uk/policy/welfare-reform/legislation-and-key-documents/welfare-reform-bill-2011/impact-assessments-and-equality/.

Work Foundation

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty's Government what public monies were paid to the Work Foundation in the past three years; what are its registered charitable objectives; and whether its staff are able to become members of a public sector pension scheme.

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: Information on total public monies paid to the Work Foundation in the past three years is not held centrally. However, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) paid the foundation £43,125 in February 2010 and Lancaster University for the Work Foundation £41,125 in December 2010.
	The foundation was acquired by Lancaster University, on 21 October 2010. The university is a charity which is exempt from registration with the Charity Commission under the Charities Act 1993 and 2006. Its principal regulator is the HEFCE.
	Prior to its acquisition by the university, and before its removal from the register of charities, the Work Foundation's charitable objectives were:
	to promote the industry and commerce of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Europe in particular (but not so as to limit the foregoing) by improving management and industrial relationships.
	The Government do not hold information on the eligibility of staff to become members of a public sector pension scheme.

Young People: Creative Industries

Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hill of Oareford on 5 December (WA 138), what steps the Department for Education is taking to give young people access to a full range of courses that would qualify them for a career in the creative industries.

Lord Hill of Oareford: Young people have access to a wide range of academic and vocational courses that could lead to a career in the creative industries. Opportunities for apprentices in this sector have steadily grown over recent years and there are now 12 apprenticeships frameworks offered through Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the creative industries. Skillset will soon start work on the development of a new level 4 framework in creative industries, following a successful bid to the Higher Apprenticeship Fund. The principal learning qualifications in the creative and media diploma will continue to be available to students next autumn.
	Creative subjects such as design, literature and film can play an important part in the syllabus. By slimming down the national curriculum, we want to free up time so that pupils have the chance of a well rounded education.
	Schools should work with pupils to help them make informed choices that will allow them to achieve and progress, including in areas where they have an interest and aptitude such as the creative arts. That is why schools are being placed under a duty, from September 2012, to secure access to independent and impartial careers guidance for their pupils.
	The Creative Industries Council Skillset Skills Group has been asked by the Creative Industries Council to assist and make recommendations to government on industry-led approaches and proposals for addressing skills and talent issues to boost the growth and competitiveness of the creative industries.